


The Curse

by glitterburn (orphan_account)



Category: Formula 1 RPF
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-09-28
Updated: 2010-09-28
Packaged: 2017-10-12 06:42:12
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 23,250
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/122013
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/glitterburn
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sequel to <i>The Cure</i>. When Nico's luck takes a turn for the worse, Kazuki divines the cause – but what he discovers could spell the end of their relationship.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Curse

**Author's Note:**

> (i) This is the sequel to my Summer Slash fic, _The Cure_ , and born out of a very silly pun I couldn't resist – so it's slightly AU, has a dash of angst mixed with fluff, and it's stirred with a bit of crack.
> 
> (ii) While the Shinto rituals of exorcism detailed here are pretty much correct (with a wee bit of artistic license), the Japanese festival of _Chushu Kangetsu_ , the 'Great Moon-Viewing' or Mid-Autumn Festival is not part of the Shinto religious calendar. However, it's a festival of special significance to foxes, which are animals ruled by _yin_ energy. The moon is _yin_ , as is the autumn; foxes thrive during this time of year, so I invented a small ritual associated with the usual customs of the festival.
> 
> (iii) I know practically nothing about Kaz's family beyond Wikipedia entries, so for the sake of _couleur locale_ they live in a traditional rural Japanese household – and I hope his relatives are not as crazy as I've made them appear in this fic!

Something was wrong.

If truth be told, something had been wrong for a few weeks, but Nico always tried to be optimistic. After the weekend in Singapore his optimism felt stretched thin, and perhaps that was why he noticed Kazuki's distracted state.

Nico entwined his fingers with Kazuki's on the armrest between their plane seats. A simple gesture, but one he knew Kazuki liked. When Kazuki sighed and made to move his hand, Nico tightened his hold. "Hey. It'll be all right."

"Sure." Kazuki didn't sound convinced.

His uncertainty made Nico anxious. The closer they got to Japan, the more detached Kazuki became. Nico couldn't shake off the suspicion that he was the cause of this odd behaviour. He tried to ignore it, playing with Kazuki's fingers. "Your parents know about me, right? You told them. And it's cool. I mean, they're cool with it..."

Kazuki shifted in his seat, stretching his legs and rolling his shoulders back. He still wouldn't meet Nico's gaze. "Yes, they know."

Nico felt a pulse of worry thicken his throat. "They don't approve of me, do they? I'm a Westerner. I'm a man. I'm not what they wanted for you."

"It's not that." Kazuki glanced at him at last. His smile seemed forced, even though the expression in his eyes was one of gentle patience. "My family will love you. How can they not? It's just this whole business with my fox ancestor has caused great confusion."

"I thought you sorted it out when you went home during the summer break."

Kazuki dropped his gaze. "I met with an Inari priest. You know this."

"Yeah. And he said you had a gift, not a curse, and he wasn't going to perform an exorcism on a gift." Nico looked up as an air stewardess went past, collecting up any rubbish from the flight. He was glad of the interruption, glad of the excuse to look away. He still didn't know how he felt about what had happened after the Monaco Grand Prix, when he'd accepted an idiotic dare from Lewis and climbed up a cliff, only to fall onto the jagged rocks and half-drown in the sea.

Kazuki had saved him, calling on the power of his ancestor, a fox woman who'd married into the Nakajima family many centuries ago. Despite repeated explanations, Nico still wasn't sure how it worked—a cross between magic and prayer, he supposed—but it worked, and he was alive and unharmed, and he owed Kazuki everything. And yet Kazuki asked for only one thing in return, something Nico would gladly have given in any case.

To feed the fox now living inside him, Kazuki needed to tap into sexual energy. Nico was more than happy to supply the necessary orgasms to keep the fox sated, but even after all this time, he worried occasionally that Kazuki thought they were together for the wrong reason—for the sake of the fox rather than because of genuine affection.

It didn't help that there were times when Nico woke in frantic horror, remembering the terror and agony of his fall. Even though Kazuki had healed his injuries completely, sometimes Nico still felt the broken bones and the mangled crush of open, bloodied flesh. Whenever he mentioned this, Kazuki would stroke him slowly, murmuring words Nico didn't understand, until the fear retreated and he felt whole again.

He felt the flutter of panic now, his muscles tensing as he struggled to shove aside the image-flashes of his fall, the sick feeling as the rocks gave way, the sight of Lewis' appalled expression above him, the moment of utter silence before his heartbeat accelerated and all he could hear over the rush of the wind was the fear pounding through his body, and all he could see was the blue, blue sky and the glimmer of sunlight on the waves and—

"Nico!" Kazuki touched his cheek, brushing aside a strand of hair. The gesture pulled him back firmly into the present. "Nico?"

With a force of will, Nico buried the memories. He turned to Kazuki and smiled. "I'm okay."

Kazuki considered him, frowning slightly. "I do not regret what I did. If necessary, I would save you ten thousand times."

Expelling his breath on a nervous laugh, Nico caught his hand again, returning the pressure of Kazuki's fingers. "I hope you never have to use your fox-power even one more time."

Kazuki gave him another of those impossible, impassive Japanese looks and turned away as the captain began his announcement in three different languages and the cabin lights dimmed. "We'll be landing soon."

Now Nico knew there was something wrong. After almost two years as teammates and five months as lovers, Nico could read him. "Kaz, what is it?"

"I told you, it's nothing." Kazuki glanced out of the window at the distant, gleaming lights of Tokyo, still avoiding his gaze.

Nico thought back over the events of the past few days. He still cringed every time he remembered his stupid error during the race last weekend—a mistake he wasn't likely to forget—but he knew it couldn't be that. Kazuki had seemed just as upset about the whole white line thing, a show of support Nico had very much appreciated when he'd gone to make his apologies to Frank and the team.

So if it wasn't Singapore... Nico frowned, another memory nagging at him. He'd thought nothing of it at the time, but perhaps... "It wasn't that incident this morning, was it?"

Kazuki's fingers went rigid for a moment, and Nico felt a surge of triumph. He _knew_ there'd been something strange going on earlier today!

From Singapore they'd flown to Hong Kong for a whistle-stop RBS sponsor meet and greet while the rest of the team went on to Japan. Kazuki had been uncharacteristically quiet for most of the trip, seeming withdrawn and ill at ease. Nico had caught a few worried sidelong glances in his direction, but put it down to Kazuki's typical sweet concern for his feelings about the race.

He'd all but forgotten those looks until they'd finished their meet and greet. As they came out of the hotel and walked the short distance to the car that would take them to the airport, an old woman passing by dropped her shopping and started wailing. The Williams PR people tried to usher Nico and Kazuki into the car while the hotel doorman attempted to hustle the old woman out of the way. By then, several more people had gathered and were arguing with the doorman or shouting at the woman.

Wanting to help, Nico had glanced back, only to recoil in bewildered dismay when the old woman pointed at him, shrieked even louder, and hid her face in her hands. His PR girl pulled at him, urging him into the car, her expression tight with alarm. He'd looked for Kazuki, calling out a warning when he saw him shake off their handlers and go towards the old woman.

Kazuki ignored them all, weaving through the crowd until he crouched beside the woman and collected up her fallen shopping. Nico tugged free, worried for Kazuki's safety. Their driver and one of the PR people hurried forward to extricate him, but Kazuki waved them back before returning his attention to the old woman. Her groceries rescued and her bags restored, Kazuki helped her up, talking to her the whole time. She nodded and bowed to him, then shot a final frightened look at Nico before she turned and scuttled away into the dispersing crowd.

When Kazuki slid into the back seat beside him, Nico tried to sound casual. "I didn't know you spoke Cantonese."

"I don't," Kazuki said softly. "She was Japanese."

Now as the plane banked to one side and began its descent, Nico leaned towards him. "What happened in Hong Kong? What did that old woman say to you?"

"Nothing." Kazuki looked at him, his fingers gripped tight and the strangest expression in his dark eyes. "Nico, I love you. I won't let anything bad happen to you. I promise."

Stunned, Nico mumbled "Thanks" before pressing back against his seat as the whirr of machinery signalled the landing gear emerging from the plane's undercarriage. Usually this was his favourite part of a flight, but he let the darkened spaces of the airport and its cut-beams of spotlights pass by without comment as the plane touched down and taxied to its terminal.

His mind whirled, trying to process the double whammy he'd just received. It wasn't just that Kazuki loved him. It was more that Kazuki seemed absolutely terrified.

* * *

The Williams PR people separated from them at baggage retrieval amidst reminders to be at the circuit by ten o'clock Thursday morning. Nico wrestled with a luggage trolley that kept running into the walls—"It's like a Renault" he muttered, finally making Kazuki laugh—and after signing a few autographs for airport staff, they went through into the arrivals hall.

"Kaz! Kaz!"

Nico watched Kazuki's smile of delight as he hurried towards his father Satoru and his younger brother Daisuke. He stopped just short of hugging them, instead bowing slightly towards his father before he ruffled Daisuke's hair and started speaking in fast, incomprehensible Japanese.

When they all turned and looked at him, Nico pinned a polite smile to his face and pushed the trolley forward. It lurched in the opposite direction and almost knocked over two women, who squawked and glared even when he apologised. Embarrassed, Nico shoved the trolley. His suitcase fell off. The zip burst open and his clothes scattered across the floor.

Daisuke turned away to hide his laughter, but Kazuki and Satoru exchanged a 'told you so' kind of look that made Nico even more embarrassed. Fantastic. Not only was he skilled at driving over the pit lane exit line, he also had an incredible talent for making a twat of himself in a busy airport.

He bent and gathered up his clothes, stuffing them back inside his defective suitcase and wishing the ground would open up and swallow him whole. _Great start, Rosberg. Way to make a good impression on your lover's family._

"So!" As Nico straightened, Satoru turned a bright smile upon him. Speaking to his son in English, he said, "This must be your—your..."

"Teammate," Kazuki supplied, obviously embarrassed. "Nico."

"Teammate!" Satoru clasped Nico's hands, studying him with interest. "Of course he is your teammate."

Feeling a little hurt that he'd been relegated to 'teammate' rather than 'boyfriend', Nico bowed, copying what Kazuki had done. Satoru chuckled. "You don't need to do that, Nico. You are not one of us."

Daisuke rolled his eyes. "Dad. Give him a break, yeah? You'll make him feel unwelcome."

Though that was exactly how he felt, Nico immediately denied it. "Oh, not at all. Thank you for allowing me to stay with you for a few days. I—uh," he turned to Kazuki, "what's the Japanese for 'thank you'?"

"In this instance, _arigato gozaimasu_ , though there are many forms for different circumstances," Kazuki said softly. "It's okay; don't worry. My family are pleased you are here. They have wanted to meet you for a long time now."

Nico felt shattered with nerves, his smile a rictus. "Great. That's... great."

Daisuke took charge of the luggage—for some reason, the trolley behaved itself for him—and soon Kazuki and Nico sat in the back seat of Satoru's car. Daisuke grinned at them from the front passenger seat. "Hope you guys don't mind an old man driving."

"No problem," Nico assured him, sinking back onto the cool leather upholstery. Once they were out of the airport and on the motorway, he reached for Kazuki's hand. As if aware of Nico's silent uncertainty, Kazuki shifted closer across the seat until they touched.

"My hometown is a couple of hours away. It will be late by the time we arrive." Beneath the faint glimmer of the motorway lighting, Nico saw Kazuki's concerned expression. He passed a hand over Nico's brow and brushed back the tumbled wings of hair, his touch warm and sure. "You should sleep for a while. Please excuse us for speaking Japanese."

"It's okay. This is your home; of course you should speak Japanese." Nico yawned and snuggled down into the seat. "Maybe I'll have a nap. I do feel a bit tired."

He closed his eyes and let the sound of the engine lull him to sleep. He dozed, aware of the babble of the radio turned down low in the front and occasionally hearing the click of the indicators. Nico murmured and settled deeper into his rest, surfacing briefly to a confused wash of Japanese. He tried to focus, hearing the note of anger in Kazuki's voice and the stern snap of command from Satoru, followed by Daisuke's protest. Kazuki sounded upset as well as angry, and Nico woke enough to reach out, wanting to offer comfort.

Kazuki pressed against him, and Nico mumbled "S'alright," before burrowing against his shoulder. Exhaustion dragged him down and he slept again, curled into Kazuki's warmth.

It seemed only a short while later that Kazuki was shaking him awake. Nico blinked, emerging from sleep slowly. He pushed himself upright and caught glimpses of blank-faced low rises and white-painted concrete. Tangles of telegraph and electrical wires stretched overhead, and tired neon flashed in dusty windows. Dark alleyways and over-illuminated bars winked past, and on one corner, a gang of youths astride bright-coloured motorbikes loitered, smoking cigarettes, flirting with girls, and pecking at their mobile phones.

"Okazaki," Kazuki told him in an undertone. "This is where I grew up. There's a castle, though it's completely rebuilt and not very exciting. But if you'd like to see it, we can visit."

"That would be nice." Nico continued to stare out of the window as Satoru took a right and headed away from what appeared to be the city centre. The carriageway narrowed, doubling back on itself, and then they turned left onto a minor road.

Nico rubbed a hand across his eyes. Below them, the lights of Okazaki faded. Ahead was nothing but the road cutting through the looming black wilderness of a hillside. Slightly surprised, Nico asked, "You don't live in town?"

"My father's family were farmers." Kazuki's voice held a note of pride. "We still live in the same estate, though Dad has extended the house."

"Right." Nico yawned anew and took a deep breath, trying to force himself into wakefulness. The road seemed to get smaller, the pine trees encroaching right up to the asphalt and even scratching at the roof and windows of the car as they drove deeper into the forest. He wondered what kind of crop the Nakajima family farmed, or perhaps they'd had animals—Nico had no idea what a typical Japanese farm looked like. For that matter, he had no idea what to expect of an estate, either.

The road seemed to stop, giving way to a dirt track. The car bounced over the rutted ground and then halted for Daisuke to get out. Nico peered at the high stone wall revealed in the splash of the headlights, and then he realised Daisuke had pulled open a large wooden gate.

"Welcome to our home," Satoru said in English as the car moved forwards again.

They pulled into a courtyard. To the left, lights blazed from a long, low building that disappeared behind another wall. Somewhere, a dog barked in the darkness. Satoru cut the engine and a heavy silence descended, broken only by the mournful cry of the dog. A door opened in the main building, and Daisuke called out to someone inside.

Satoru said something in Japanese and got out, leaving Nico and Kazuki alone for a moment. Nico was about to speak when Kazuki turned to him, suddenly urgent. He took something from his pocket and pressed it into Nico's hands. "Please, wear this."

Puzzled, Nico felt the object with his fingertips. Something gave a metallic chime, and he realised it was a bell. "What..." he began, and then he blinked as Satoru opened the boot to retrieve their luggage and a small interior light came on.

Nico held up the object, angling it to the light, and stared at it. A strip of vermilion ribbon about an inch wide and perhaps twelve inches long, it had a small silver bell tied in the middle. "A cat bell?" He shifted his puzzled gaze from the bell to Kazuki. "You want me to wear a cat bell?"

"It's not a cat bell." Kazuki looked both embarrassed and worried. "I will explain it to you in the morning, but until then, please do as I ask."

"Okay." Now awake and feeling more than a little weirded-out, Nico held the bell to his throat. "You want me to wear it like this? Around my neck like a pussycat?"

Kazuki chuckled. "Maybe not so much of the pussy. But you can tie it around your wrist, if you prefer." His expression turned serious again. "Make sure you wear it the whole time when you're inside the house. That's all I ask."

This was getting more and more curious. Nico wondered why he had to wear the vermilion-ribboned bell indoors. Perhaps it was some rural Japanese custom only applicable to Westerners. Not that it really mattered. Kazuki wanted him to wear it, so he'd do it. Besides, he already wore a whole bunch of stuff around his left wrist—a stitched leather cuff and a bracelet of silver and onyx beads. The cat bell wouldn't make that much of a difference.

He put it on, wrapping the ribbon around his wrist a number of times before tying it off. Lifting his hand, he wriggled it back and forth and listened to the silvery chime of the bell.

Kazuki slid across the seat and kissed him, fierce and hungry. "Thank you."

Nico laughed, startled and aroused. "Just for wearing a bell? I have another wrist. Ankles, too. I can wear more bells if you'll kiss me like that again."

"Later." Kazuki ducked his head, but he was smiling. "Come on. My mother will be waiting to meet you."

Nico followed Kazuki's example and took off his shoes at the door, then went through another round of bowing and smiling. He accepted a cup of tea, pale green and frothy, and drank it standing up in the kitchen. The house was a blend of modern and old-fashioned, uncluttered by much furniture. In one corner of the main living area, Nico noticed a cabinet of racing trophies alongside a couple of framed pictures of Satoru with his former Lotus teammates Ayrton Senna and Nelson Piquet.

At last, all the polite formalities concluded, Kazuki led Nico along a corridor, around a small inner courtyard, and into a low-roofed room. Blinds had been rolled over the windows, and a chill permeated the air. Nico glanced around at the arrangement of dried flowers, the small lacquer-wood cabinet, and the more modern wardrobe and desk. A stack of English novels and a set of dictionaries and grammar guides crowded a couple of shelves, and tucked near the door were their suitcases.

"Please, make yourself at home," Kazuki said quietly. He went over to the wardrobe and pulled out two futons, then spent some time arranging the bedding neatly upon the _tatami_ covering the polished wooden floor.

Nico watched, weariness and an odd kind of sadness tugging at him. Kazuki seemed different here, almost unreachable, and this hurt more than Nico had imagined. In Europe, Kazuki wore his nationality lightly, retreating behind a facade only when he felt unhappy or defensive. Nico, who'd been raised without the boundaries imposed by a single culture or language, had always prided himself on being able to blend in anywhere—but now it seemed he'd found the one place where he didn't fit, and it was the one place he wanted to belong.

Feeling like a spare part, he tried to help with the futons, only to be shooed away with a polite smile. "Let me do something," Nico said, frustration edging his voice.

Kazuki indicated a folded screen propped against a wall. "Bring the _shoji_ and open it up between the futons."

Nico drew out the screens, careful not to poke his clumsy fingers through the taut rice-paper. Only when he'd divided the room into two did he think anything of it. "We're not sleeping together?"

"Of course not." Kazuki appeared around the side of the _shoji_. He looked flustered, almost offended. "It wouldn't be proper."

"Proper!" Nico lifted his hand to rake through the fall of his hair. The bell around his wrist jingled with the tired motion. "Kaz, we've been together for five months."

"And this is my parents' house." Despite his Western clothes and his soft English accent, Kazuki seemed distant and alien.

Nico shoved his hands in his pockets. The bell's silvery music followed him. "I'm not being disrespectful. I just want us to sleep together. We don't have to do anything."   
He swallowed, aware that he sounded needy. What the hell was wrong with him? Usually he met every challenge with a big smile and unshakeable confidence, but being here in the dead of night with absolutely no guidance or landmarks made him want to turn tail and run far away—or at least as far as Suzuka, where his fellow drivers would no doubt be drinking and playing poker and screwing and whatever else they liked doing.

"Kaz," he tried again, "please let me sleep beside you."

Kazuki glanced up from arranging the second futon. His gaze gentled, became almost yearning, and then the shutters came down. "I'm sorry, but it is impossible. We must sleep separately for tonight."

Nico aimed a kick at his luggage. Even though he didn't mean to actually hit it, his foot connected and the suitcase fell and skidded across the floor, shedding its contents for the second time that day. "Shit. Okay. But I think it's stupid to have a paper screen down the middle of the room. I'm going to be aware of you all night."

"You will be asleep," Kazuki said mildly, fluffing the quilt. He got to his feet. "There. Now everything is ready. I will show you the bathroom."

* * *

It was worse than he'd thought. Nico lay beneath the freshly laundered quilt, breathing in the fragrance of Japanese washing powder and the stronger scent of pine, and felt desperately, painfully aware of Kazuki curled up asleep on the other side of the _shoji_ screen. It wasn't as if he could see him, because pitch darkness filled the room. It was just that Nico could hear his breathing, sense his body heat, imagine the cute sticky-up bits of his hair and the smudged sweep of his eyelashes against his cheeks.

Nico groaned and rolled over, his pulse thumping. The bell around his wrist tinkled then was silenced as he turned his hand against the _tatami_. He closed his eyes, trying to call back the cloud of sleep that had wrapped around him in the car. He ran through the seventeen times table and attempted to conjugate a bunch of Finnish verbs. Nothing worked. He was wide awake and insanely horny.

Maybe it was his fault. He'd been so certain he could get Kazuki to change his mind about sharing their futons. As soon as the room had been prepared, he'd stripped off and wandered around naked while Kazuki blushed and unpacked his suitcase and made minor, unnecessary adjustments to his futon.

When he realised the naked thing wasn't working, Nico had put on a pair of boxers and went to the bathroom to clean his teeth. The bathroom was so cold, he'd come running out with his toothbrush jammed between his teeth and toothpaste frothing down his chin—not the sexy look he'd been hoping to achieve. He'd pulled on an old grey t-shirt and his jacket before braving the bathroom again and finally rinsing out his mouth.

By the time he'd finished faffing around, the bedroom light was off and Kazuki was beneath his quilt and fast asleep. Nico had clumped around in the dark, almost knocking over the _shoji_ before he tripped on the _tatami_ and sprawled full length onto his futon. Grumbling, he'd crawled inside and waited for sleep.

Except it seemed not even sleep wanted him.

Rolling onto his back, Nico gave a loud sigh. Despite the chill of the room, he felt too hot, too tight, his body burning up. He wondered if he was running a temperature, and put his hand across his forehead. The bell chimed as he moved. Annoyed by the silvery sound, Nico picked at the knot he'd tied in the ribbon. It proved impossible to undo, and he was about to give up on it when he had a sudden, inexplicable urge to rid himself of the bell completely.

He set his wrist against his mouth and gnawed at the ribbon. His saliva only made the knot tighter. With a low growl, Nico turned onto his belly and chewed at the ribbon, shredding it thread by thread. A shiver went down his spine as the restriction around his wrist loosened. The bell chimed, and he slapped his free hand over it to silence the noise.

Removing the bell was the only thing in his mind. Nico twisted onto his side, still chewing. He spat out stray threads and tatters of ribbon, wrinkling his nose. The bell rang, sounding louder this time, and he snapped at it, shaking his head and worrying at it, feeling the bell begin to slip free of its holding.

Another growling bite and the ribbon gave way, unravelling from his wrist. Triumphant, Nico seized one end and shook it. The bell tumbled from the ribbon and rolled across the floor, shimmering with gentle music.

Nico flipped over onto his hands and knees, slinking from the futon to investigate the whereabouts of the bell. He put his head down close to the floor, sniffing at the _tatami_. In some distant corner of his mind, he wondered what the fuck he was doing, but the thought drifted away before he could focus on it.

The tip of his nose touched the bell. He hissed and jerked back, then lowered himself even closer to the floor and put a tentative hand over the cold, fragile metal. Nico pressed down, feeling the mouth of the bell bite into his palm. He mewled at it, lifted his hand, and stared into the darkness. He couldn't see anything, yet he knew where the little silver bell lay.

 _Crush it, destroy it, pulverise it!_

The voice hammered through his head. Nico blinked, suddenly aware of his odd position on the floor and the cold air over his skin. Puzzled by his actions, he started to feel his way back across the _tatami_ to the futon.

Destroy the bell!

Nico sat up straight. "Kaz?" Silence. "Okay. Going crazy. Hearing voices. Need to sleep now," Nico muttered, groping about on the floor until he located the jingling bell. "Stupid bell. Need to wear it."

He thought he heard a hiss as he laboriously threaded the bell back onto the soggy-ended ribbon. The silvery chimes made him feel warm and safe, and without further thought, he fastened the ribbon around his neck, tying the ends at his nape so the bell rested in the hollow of his throat.

"Kinky," he mumbled, dragging the futon closer and rolling beneath the quilt. He snuggled down, then touched the bell. It felt odd nestling against such a vulnerable part of his body, making him aware of the slight restriction around his neck, of each breath, each swallow. He slowed his breathing, sinking into the awareness, letting his consciousness expand to encompass the whole room.

Eyes wide, Nico sensed everything. Once again attuned to Kazuki's presence, he turned his head towards the _shoji_ and stared through the darkness, feeling loneliness and longing and the steady pulse of desire starting within him.

The bell made a glittering noise, the metal cool against his burning skin. He groaned and turned onto his side, arousal twisting inside him. Nico pressed his face into the pillow, feeling the acceleration of desire to lust.

Unfamiliar beds always made him feel horny. After so many years of worldwide travel for competitive motorsport, he'd thought the desire would have worn off by now. It had got worse when he first went into F1, but since then the need had tempered itself to a roll of anticipation.

Until now.

Nico rolled onto his back again, the quilt sliding over his heated body. He pushed it half off him, letting the cool night air brush over his skin. Arousal thrummed in his veins, making his breathing harsh and rapid. The bell rang, a tiny little shimmering sound accompanying the thump of his pulse. He slid his hands down over his body, biting his lip at the drag of cotton over his nipples, suppressing a moan as he grasped his cock through his shorts.

Oh, shit. He'd just have to risk having a wank and hope he could do it quickly and quietly. Nico wriggled out of his shorts and rearranged himself, only to realise he had nothing to clean up with afterwards. Cursing, he kicked off the quilt and tried to find his way to his suitcase. Surely he had a pack of tissues tucked away somewhere.

As he reached his case, Nico became aware of a faint golden light around the end of the _shoji_. Intrigued, he crept a little closer, realising that the light was too faint to shine through the screen. He rounded the _shoji_ and drew in a startled breath. The light, almost like gleaming dust motes, surrounded Kazuki as he slept.

Nico rubbed his eyes. No, he wasn't dreaming. Kazuki was sort of glowing. Very, very faintly, but glowing all the same.

Seeing him there proved too much for Nico to resist. The floorboards creaked as he strode over the _tatami_ , stripped off his t-shirt, and slid beneath the quilt beside Kazuki. He felt wicked, his erection returning full force as he pressed against his lover's body. Kazuki wore a t-shirt and loose pyjama pants, the fabric soft and warm. Nico wriggled, enjoying the sensation against his aching cock.

Kazuki half-woke, muttering in Japanese. He reached back as if to bat Nico away, then when his hand made contact, he surfaced from sleep and rolled over. The faint golden light shifted, moving with him, giving enough illumination for Nico to see the drowsy surprise on Kazuki's face.

"What—Nico? You're cold," Kazuki complained, cuddling closer and pulling the quilt almost over their heads.

Nico gave a husky laugh. "Warm me up."

"Hrgh." Kazuki turned his head when Nico nuzzled at his neck. "Cold nose."

"C'mon, Kaz. Kiss me. Give me some heat." Nico licked at the rim of Kazuki's ear then nibbled on the lobe. Kazuki drew in a breath and groaned, moving closer, their limbs sliding and tangling together.

They kissed, soft and sweet, Kazuki still on the edge of sleep. Nico leaned into the embrace, pushing his hips forward to press his erection against Kazuki's belly. The kiss heated, Kazuki murmuring into Nico's mouth, his body waking, arousal stirring. Taking advantage, Nico rolled on top of him, his knees tight against Kazuki's waist. Nico purred at the feel of Kazuki's erection nudging against his arse, the delighted sound rumbling through his body.

Kazuki jerked fully awake, his eyes wide. "Where's the bell?"

Nico sat up, took Kazuki's hand and placed it against his throat. Happy-growling at the touch, he wriggled back and forth suggestively. "Around my neck. You like that?"

"Nico..."

"It'll ring when you fuck me hard. I want to hear it." Nico laughed, the sound breathless as molten excitement poured through him. He shook his head forward, the wings of his hair falling into his face. The bell chimed softly with each flick, and he laughed again, feeling sexy and desirable.

"Nico." Kazuki's expression was serious. He caught Nico's wrists and held him pinned. "Did you let go of the bell?"

"Rrrr." Even though Nico knew he was slightly heavier and stronger than Kazuki and should be able to overpower him with ease, the tight grip around his wrists made him feel deliciously weak. The idea of being helpless while in control of the situation made him even hornier. He struggled just for show, gasping when Kazuki wouldn't let him move far.

"Nico! Did you let go of the bell?"

Nico pouted sulkily. "Yes. It came off the ribbon and fell on the floor." Hoping to distract Kazuki from his weird bell obsession, Nico shrugged the quilt from around his shoulders and sat back, straddling Kazuki's hips, flaunting his naked body to best advantage. "Does it matter? It's just a stupid bell."

"It's important." Kazuki gazed at him, desire clouding his expression but his tone still serious. "Very important."

"Not as important as this." With a sharp gesture, Nico pulled one hand free. He stroked the length of his cock in offering. "Please, Kaz. I'm dying here."

"I shouldn't." Kazuki's voice lacked conviction.

"Because it's your parents' house? They know we're fucking."

"Don't call it that." A flash of hurt showed in Kazuki's eyes, and for a moment Nico could have sworn those liquid black eyes turned golden.

"That's what it is." Nico tossed his head, glorying in the pleasurable anticipation spiralling through him. "Come on. Fuck me. Ring my bell."

He felt rather than saw the moment Kazuki gave in. "In my jacket—inside pocket. There's—"

Nico kissed him to shut him up. "No," he whispered when he drew back. "No condom. No lube. Just you and me."

Kazuki went very still. "Nico."

Exhilaration sang through him. Nico wriggled, rocking over the shape of Kazuki's erection. "It's what I want."

Before Kazuki could say anything else, Nico slid backward, gathering the quilt behind him. He pushed up Kazuki's t-shirt and dragged his pyjama pants down around his thighs. Purring with satisfaction, Nico leaned over, pressing his body against Kazuki, enjoying the feel of skin on skin. His senses seemed heightened, as if he could experience everything through touch alone, and Nico moaned in appreciation when Kazuki stroked through his hair, down his face, and touched the silver bell, setting it ringing.

Nico placed a kiss in the centre of Kazuki's chest then lapped at him, long, strong licks that moved progressively lower. The taste of his skin, smooth and clean, made Nico want to dirty him. When he reached Kazuki's navel, he paused, tongue flickering.

Kazuki groaned. "Nico, your tongue..." Whatever he was about to say got cut off by a soft hiss and a gasp, Kazuki bucking up in reaction as Nico licked a wet stripe up the length of his cock before settling down to suck at him.

Arousal pounded through his body and clawed at his mind. Nico whimpered, his mouth full, his nose tickled by Kazuki's pubic hair. He drew back and went deep again, making Kazuki's cock glistening wet with saliva. Nico lifted his head and licked his lips, hoping it was enough. The rational part of his brain reminded him that he'd never done this without lube before, but his concerns were blasted away by the drumming, desperate, overriding urge to fuck.

Nico rose up, his breathing harsh and rapid, his heartbeat accelerating, his nerves shredding. The bell trembled at his throat, its music discordant. He angled his body, his weight pushed through his knees as he held position and reached behind to guide himself onto Kazuki's cock.

His eyes closed and his head tipped back as slowly, slowly, he impaled himself. Nico gasped, his breath panting out of him as he felt the stretch and burn of penetration. Pleasure buzzed through his head, the pain edged with ecstasy. Sweat dampened his hair and sheened his body. Frantic mewls escaped him as he ground down, rocking back and forth until he'd taken every inch of Kazuki's cock.

"Nico..."

A note of worry hung in Kazuki's voice, and Nico gave a breathless laugh. "It's good. Just give me a minute."

Kazuki lifted up, trying to buck Nico off him so he could withdraw.

The action jolted through him, and Nico gasp-laughed at the sensations, setting the silver bell ringing. "No." Nico clamped his knees into Kazuki's sides and held on. "I'm ready. I want it. Fuck me, Kaz."

A pause, and Nico snapped his head forward, opening his eyes to fix Kazuki with his stare. The bell jingled, and he felt the tiny reverberations ripple through him. Nico laughed, wanting to feel the sound again, wanting to merge into the silvery music. He leaned down and kissed Kazuki, coaxing him into a steady, gentle rhythm, moving on top of him, riding him at the lightest trot.

Kazuki moaned into the kiss, picking up the pace as Nico changed his angle and thrust down hard. Pleasure lashed at him, the bell bouncing in the hollow of his throat, each tiny strike against his sweat-slicked skin like a goad. Kazuki raised his knees, anchoring them firmly on the futon mattress and unbalancing Nico a little. Immediately, Kazuki gripped Nico's hips, holding him steady, holding him down.

"Yeah. Like that. Oh, God." Nico closed his eyes, light sprinkling across his darkened vision. He loved the feel of Kazuki's fingers digging into his skin. Nico bucked, aware of sensation filling him: Kazuki's cock hot and hard, stretching him wide; his own erection bouncing wetly against his belly with each thrust, the heat created between them, the smell of sex, the tightness in his body, the desire to explode and be free...

The bell chimed, a sweet sound that lured his senses, taking him higher. "More," Nico panted. "Fuck. More. Harder."

Kazuki reached up and grabbed a handful of Nico's hair, dragging him down for another kiss. Saliva slicked across their mouths; Kazuki breathed desperate words of love in Japanese and English. Nico wanted to reply but couldn't, the words trapped inside him as he struggled to follow the sound of the bell. It didn't seem like it came from the tiny thing around his neck; now it sounded like a temple bell, sonorous and commanding. Nico fought to obey its note, a single rolling resonance.

His hair swung in his face, sweat stinging his eyes. Nico took his weight through his arms, dropping down almost on top of Kazuki and thrusting back, crying out in a pleasure so close to pain he didn't know himself any more, barely conscious of Kazuki beneath him as he chased orgasm. His mind spun away, the world shrinking to a pinprick of golden light within infinite darkness, and still he reached for climax, still he chased the sound of the bell, ringing and ringing.

Kazuki gasped, his body tensing and then shuddering into completion. Nico laughed joyfully, catching the gleam of gold in Kazuki's eyes as the fox within him woke, its tail flicking and its ears pricked as it waited, licking its muzzle, for Nico's orgasm. Kazuki-fox growled, golden eyes flashing. In response, Nico gave one last deep, hard thrust, the way easy now with the lubricant of semen, and he felt everything slip away from him.

He heard himself hiss, felt his fur ruffle— _I don't have fur_ —and his ears flatten— _how can this be_ —and his tail stick straight up, stiff with anger— _...tail?_ His claws unsheathed and he scratched at Kazuki— _I'm a monster_ —and then his climax hit.

Nico cried out as the power of his orgasm shattered through him. A second later, Kazuki pressed a hand over Nico's mouth to muffle his shouts. Instinct made him bite down, and he heard Kazuki growl in reaction. He tasted Kazuki's skin, the faint tang of his sweat, and then he let go and fell forward, trembling.

The sticky wetness of his seed oozed between them, smearing over their bodies, and the musk-sweet scent of sex hung in the air. Nico felt the fox feed on his orgasmic energy as a second tremor, like an aftershock, rippled through Kazuki. Only then did Nico roll onto his back, groping across the floor for his discarded t-shirt.

"Nico." Kazuki sounded as shell-shocked as Nico felt. He grabbed at the t-shirt when Nico made a feeble attempt to clean them up, and wiped them off with quick, decisive gestures. "Nico, what the hell was that?"

It seemed like such a silly question. Nico giggled, feeling drained. "Sex?"

Kazuki sat up and flung away the damp t-shirt. "Yes. Sex." Now he sounded upset, maybe even angry. "You took off the bell. I told you not to."

"So?"

"So you could have made it worse." His words were sharp, but an instant later Kazuki softened, drawing the quilt around them. Nico curled up against him, exhausted, only vaguely aware of the kiss Kazuki dropped onto his head. Just before he fell asleep, he heard Kazuki say, "Oh, Nico. I only hope I'm not too late."

* * *

Kazuki woke when the first grey light of dawn filtered through the bamboo blinds at the windows. He stirred, stretching, then realised Nico lay beside him, curled up naked and hogging more than half of the quilt. The vermilion ribbon was still tied around his neck, the silver bell chiming faintly with each deep slumbering breath Nico took.

Shame burned Kazuki's face. He touched his cold fingertips to his cheeks and felt the heat there. Guilt niggled at him. They shouldn't have made love last night. No, that was the wrong term. They shouldn't have fucked like animals last night.

Careful to remain silent, Kazuki crept out from beneath the quilt and went into the adjoining room. The air was cold, and his breath misted in front of him as he opened a pinewood chest and sorted through the stacks of folded clothes inside. This wing of the house belonged to him, and his parents would never remark on anything he did here. He was sure they wouldn't pass comment on Nico, although Daisuke might crack a few off-colour jokes later today; the prerogative of the little brother.

Even so, he shouldn't have let Nico get out of control like that. No matter that it had been mind-blowing and intense, it shouldn't have happened. The guilt continued to pound at his temples, a headache threatening. Kazuki pressed his hands over his eyes and breathed deeply, inhaling the lingering scent of the pine. When the pain receded, he looked at the selection of clothes he'd chosen.

He stripped off the t-shirt he'd slept in and examined the short, neat scratches Nico had made with his nails. They looked like claw-marks, sharp and pink against his skin. Drawing in a shaking breath, Kazuki pulled on a pair of fine silk under-trousers, followed by a heavy, plain white under-robe, patting the folds into place over his scratched chest. Over this he wore a dark green kimono. Tying the black _obi_ was tricky—he'd been in Western clothes for too long—but he managed it before wriggling his feet into the _tabi_.

Finally dressed in an appropriate fashion for a family meeting, he went to the doorway and peeked back into the bedroom. Nico still lay asleep, his head pillowed on his outstretched arm, his blond hair half covering his face. Kazuki watched him for a long moment, his chest tight with emotion, and then he turned away and went out to greet his family.

They were all waiting for him, chattering to one another as they drank tea and ate steamed buns and eyed the red bean mooncakes his mother had prepared for the weekend's festival. Daisuke held up a jar of coffee in a wordless offer when Kazuki walked into the room. He nodded, grateful for his brother's support, then faced his assembled relatives.

His aunts fidgeted. His uncles stared. His grandfather seemed to be on another planet. His father eventually cleared his throat. "Son, welcome home."

Kazuki bowed. "Thank you, Father."

"Your... ah, teammate. Did he sleep well?"

Was that a blush he saw on his father's face? Kazuki felt embarrassed. He hoped they hadn't been too noisy last night, but one glance at his brother's smirking expression confirmed his worst fears. Wonderful. His whole family had heard him and Nico going at it like bunnies.

He took the mug of coffee Daisuke held out to him and sipped at it. "Nico is still asleep. For a little while in the night, he didn't wear the bell."

A murmur of opinion spread throughout the room. His father frowned. "I told you we should have found another way of doing it. What if the demon got out? What if it starts haunting our home?"

Kazuki bowed his head in remorse, focusing on the sensation of the coffee's heat seeping through the mug to warm his fingers. "It didn't. The demon likes its host too much to leave him."

"Besides," added his oldest aunt, "how could the demon make its escape when you were too busy screwing that young man?"

"Aunt!" The mug almost slipped through Kazuki's nerveless fingers.

His aunt guffawed. "I'm only selectively deaf, nephew." She gave him a broad grin. "Everyone knows the power of the fox is greater than the power of a demon. By keeping the demon engaged, you ensured it stayed inside the host. I'm sure your great sacrifice last night is appreciated by everyone here."

Kazuki heard a weird whimpering noise and realised he was the one making it. He coughed and took a mouthful of scalding coffee.

"Enough," said his mother, her hands on her hips as she glared around at the rambunctious family. "Don't embarrass Kazuki any more than he's already embarrassed himself."

Kazuki spluttered as the coffee went down the wrong way. "Thanks, Mum."

"We should be thinking of our poor unfortunate guest," his mother continued as if he hadn't interrupted. "The poor benighted Westerner who isn't even aware he harbours a demon inside him."

Everyone turned to stare at Kazuki. "You haven't _told_ him?" his second uncle asked, tutting in disgust.

"It's not exactly easy to slip into conversation." Kazuki squeezed the coffee mug between his hands.

"How hard can it be!" exclaimed his third uncle. "Just tell him."

Kazuki sighed. "Uncle, it's difficult. He's a Westerner." He didn't want to add that he'd avoided mentioning the demon more from the fear that Nico would laugh at him than from any other reason.

This provoked another round of muttering and suggestions from his relatives. Finally his second aunt said, "Foreigners don't believe in the old ways, even when the evidence of spirit powers is all around them. They just blunder into these situations without giving thought to the consequences! Because they don't believe, because their faith is so weak, the foreigner will regain his balance eventually without our help."

Feeling defensive, Kazuki protested, "That's not fair. Nico doesn't know what's happening to him. He is blameless."

His second aunt cackled and thumped her walking stick on the wooden floor. "Foreigners are to blame for everything."

"The demon cursing him isn't even Japanese," Daisuke said. "I like Nico, brother, but I don't see why this is our business."

"See? Foreigners are useless," his second aunt added. "Can't even get a proper demon to possess him."

"Western demons are the same as our demons, aunt," Kazuki argued. His headache was making a comeback. Finishing his coffee, he put down the mug and paced across the kitchen floor. "A demon is a demon, no matter where it comes from. As Nico's—uh, as his..."

"Teammate," his father supplied, straight-faced.

Kazuki winced. "As his _teammate_ and I suppose as his..." and he paused, not knowing the correct terminology, "as the one responsible for him since the waking of the fox, I have a duty to rid Nico of the demon haunting him."

His family sat in silence for a moment, then his first aunt said, "You care for that young man."

Kazuki swallowed. "Yes, I do."

His aunt's expression turned sad as she gazed at him with concern. "You know our family history. You know what the old tales say. That boy is in danger, and not just from the demon. You..."

"I know. I know!" Kazuki exhaled, ashamed at the anger in his tone. He offered a bow. "Forgive me, First Aunt."

"This is a situation you didn't expect," his mother said. "But you will face it with strength and courage, my son. I know you will succeed. You will save your... teammate."

Kazuki gave her a grateful look. Despite what he'd said to his family, he wasn't sure that Western demons were the same as Japanese demons. He could only hope that his plan would work. Otherwise...

He snapped himself out of that train of thought. He couldn't fail Nico. He _wouldn't_.

"What will you do?" his father asked.

Kazuki had thought about this a lot over the last few weeks. "We will go to the shrine and begin with purification."

His relatives all started speaking at once, calling out their opinions and advice about the best way to do things. Overwhelmed, Kazuki closed his eyes and let their words babble over him.

Suddenly, they all feel silent. Kazuki looked around to see Nico standing in the doorway, barefoot and dressed in ripped jeans and a white shirt. Nico was staring at him, clearly astonished by Kazuki's traditional clothing, and then his eyes widened further as he took in the sight of the entire Nakajima clan.

"Hi. Um, _konnichiwa_." Nico ducked his head in an embarrassed bow to everyone gathered within the room. Straightening, he edged closer to Kazuki. "Wow. Your whole family, huh?"

"Yes." Kazuki wasn't in the mood for introductions, but with a dozen relatives looking at him expectantly, he felt obliged to make some sort of gesture. Turning back to his family, he said in Japanese, "This is Nico. My—my..."

"Fox consort!" shouted Grandfather, startling everyone in the room.

Kazuki gave a weary nod. It was as good a description as any. "Yes. Precisely."

Grandfather wobbled to his feet and took a few tentative steps across the floor towards them. Daisuke jumped up to help, but Grandfather scowled at him.

Kazuki ushered Nico forwards, switching back into English. "Grandfather wishes to meet you."

Nico brightened, losing the hunted look he'd worn ever since he'd entered the room. "Great. If there's one thing I'm good at, it's meeting people." He strode over to Grandfather and bowed. " _Konnichiwa, Nakajima-san_. Uh, is that right?"

Grandfather rasped with laughter and put a hand on Nico's bowed head, stroking his hair. He patted Nico, then spoke in very rapid Japanese.

Kazuki began to translate. "He says you are very fair. Pale and gold. Very pretty. We would..." He stopped, blushing at Grandfather's comments.

Nico raised an eyebrow. "What did he say?"

"Er, he said, umm..." Kazuki floundered while Daisuke sniggered into his hand and Satoru shook his head.

"Kaz!" Obviously aware that some sort of joke had been hatched at his expense, Nico glared at him, two bright spots of colour on his cheekbones.

Kazuki sighed and gave up. "Okay, he said we would make pretty fox-babies if only you were female. Then he said that since no one can be sure of the power of our ancestor, maybe two males can make a fox-baby."

Nico stood frozen, his mouth half open for a full minute. Then he turned and bowed again to Grandfather. "Tell gramps he's a dirty old man."

Daisuke translated before Kazuki had the chance to frame Nico's reply in more polite terms, but Grandfather simply laughed and patted Nico's arm.

"Grandfather says he likes you," Daisuke said with a grin. "Even though your hips are too narrow for childbirth."

* * *

When they set out after lunch, the day was still damp, the path to the shrine wet with lingering dew and littered with last year's pine needles. Kazuki felt the cold creep through the soles of his thin suede boots and wished he'd worn Western shoes. A breeze rolled down the hillside, rustling through the clumped branches of black pine surrounding the path. He clambered to a turn in the track and paused, shivering as the chill in the air bit through his layers of silk.

Nico caught up with him, taking the opportunity to glance back at the Nakajima estate half hidden by the sweep of forest. Ise Bay glimmered in the distance, the sprawl of Okazaki seemingly restricted by the contours of the hill. Kazuki watched him stare at the view and noticed Nico's hand creep up to finger the silver bell still around his neck.

Finally Nico pulled his gaze away and exhaled, offering a small smile. He touched the sleeve of the dark green kimono, rubbing the sheen of the cloth between his fingers with an admiring expression. "I didn't want to say this in front of your family and sound like a stupid tourist, but this is really cool."

Kazuki didn't know how to respond, so he said stiffly, "It is traditional."

"Yeah, but I never realised young people wore them. You know." Nico dipped his head, looking embarrassed. "I thought it was just for old people and geishas."

"Geisha," Kazuki corrected. "No, many people wear them. They can be more comfortable than Western clothes, especially in the summer when it's very hot."

Nico gave him an uncertain glance. "It makes you look different."

Not liking the direction of their conversation, Kazuki smiled. "I am just me."

"Oh, for sure." Nico smiled again in response, sunny and bright. "Just you, but different. You look older. More assured."

Kazuki felt far from assured about anything, but he said, "Thank you" all the same.

They continued their climb, Nico measuring his footsteps to Kazuki's as they walked up the uneven, twisting path. A number of tracks wriggled out of the forest to join their way, and soon they met other people coming and going. Some of them Kazuki knew from previous visits to the shrine, but others were strangers, probably from the farms and villages around the hills. They all reacted to Nico in the same way—staring far longer than was polite, then backing away and muttering a single word.

Kazuki winced inwardly and hoped Nico hadn't noticed, but a quick glance sideways showed that he had, and was clearly puzzled by the attention. He'd been quieter, more subdued, since they'd arrived in Japan, and Kazuki felt bad for that. This wasn't exactly the kind of trip he'd planned for them, but it was inescapable.

A man emerged from a side path ahead of them, walking a black, curly-tailed mountain _kai_ dog. The animal stood stock-still when it saw them, its ears pricked and its muzzle raised. Its owner tugged at the leash then looked over at Kazuki and Nico. The man's gaze fixed on Nico and his mouth dropped open before he came to his senses and tried to change direction.

But the dog resisted, starting to growl. It pulled on its lead, jerking and dragging its owner as it tried to get closer. It swung its head towards Kazuki and leaned harder on the leash, hackles rising and the muscles in its stocky body straining, and then it switched its attention back to Nico and barked, its fury evident.

"Um, Kaz..." Nico gripped his arm. "That dog doesn't look very friendly."

Kazuki edged Nico behind him. "Stay back."

"You don't think it's that dangerous, do you?" Nico stepped around him, regaining his confidence. "I'm sure it's okay. That guy wouldn't be out walking with it if it was really—"

The dog's owner gave a frantic cry as the animal snapped its leash free from its collar and hurtled down the path towards them.

Nico stood frozen.

The dog snarled, showing its teeth, and threw itself at Nico's throat.

Kazuki acted without thought. With one hand he shoved Nico back; at the same time he brought his right hand up, palm outward, fingers splayed, the words of a spell he shouldn't have known coming easily to his lips.

The world around him kaleidoscoped, seeming to splinter into a billion fragments as energy rearranged itself around him. In a heartbeat it resumed as before, the spell striking the dog and sending it catapulting back. The dog struck the ground and howled in confusion, scuffling in circles as it struggled to right itself.

Kazuki felt icy calmness spread through him as he approached the animal. It cowered on the ground, whining and pawing its muzzle, then slowly rolled over to show its belly, its curly tail wagging in limp surrender.

"Good," Kazuki told it in a voice not quite his own. He flicked his fingers at it, and the dog got to its feet, shook itself, and trotted back to its owner.

Lowering his arm, Kazuki watched the man crouch to retrieve the leash and pat the dog. The man's hands were shaking so much it took him three attempts to clip the leash back onto the collar correctly. Then he stood, the dog still docile beside him, and bowed to Kazuki, apologising over and over in the local Mikawa dialect. Kazuki reassured the man that all was well, and no, he wouldn't curse him and his children or his children's children, and it was quite all right to take the dog and go home now. Still nervous and bowing, the man grabbed the dog and hauled it away into the trees, crying one word back at them.

With a sigh, Kazuki pressed his fingers to his temples. He heard Nico get up from where he'd stumbled against the path, felt him hesitate, sensed him reaching out. Kazuki knew he'd have to tell him the truth soon, but he had no idea how to broach the subject.

He turned and saw Nico looking at him, his face pale with confusion and his honey-streaked hair dishevelled. "Something's going on. It's been going on for days. Weeks." Nico stared at him, eyes wide and uncertain. "Tell me what's wrong. Why do all the people we meet know my name? I can't be that big in Japan. Even that guy just now—the last thing he said was my name. What's wrong with me? Why does everyone look so scared? Why—why did the dog go for me like that? And what did you _do_ to it?"

Too many questions. Kazuki's head spun and he felt suddenly weary in the aftermath of the spell. The fox inside him grumbled, nudging him for food. Kazuki tried to tamp down on the desire. Nico wasn't likely to agree to an outdoors quickie after the shock he'd just had. The best thing would be to get him inside the sacred ground of the shrine as fast as possible.

His mind made up, Kazuki took hold of Nico's hand and tugged him along, speeding his pace as the path twisted between an outcropping of rock, the black trees soaring above them, the scent of pine crisp in the cold air.

Nico tried to pull free. "Kaz, answer me. What the hell is going on? Why do they know my name?"

Kazuki hung on, grimly determined. "They're not saying your name."

"I heard them— _Nico, Nico_."

"That's not what they were saying." Kazuki turned and blocked the narrow path. Ahead was a single vermilion _torii_ gate that marked the beginning of sacred ground, of sanctuary. "The word they were saying was Japanese. Not Nico, but _neko_."

" _Neko_ ," Nico repeated, trying for the same inflection. "Close enough. What does it mean?"

Kazuki took a deep breath. "It means 'cat'."

Nico shook his hand free, touching his fingers to the bell around his neck. "So this is a cat bell."

"No. Yes. Not really."

The answer was woefully inadequate. Nico glanced at the _torii_ , still fingering the bell, the sound silvery and soft. He raised his chin, his gaze opaque. "I'm outside your house. I don't need to wear the damn cat bell now."

Kazuki flinched. "Nico, please—leave it on. At least until we reach the shrine."

"I'm not going anywhere until you tell me what the hell is going on here." Nico looked mulish, anger sparking in his eyes. "That woman in Hong Kong freaked out when she saw me. People here are calling me cat boy. That dog wanted to rip my throat out because it thinks I'm a cat, and you're making me wear a cat bell... For God's sake, what aren't you telling me?"

"Trust me." Kazuki took Nico's hands and squeezed. "Please, give me ten more minutes. I will explain everything at the shrine."

Nico eyed the red _torii_ again. "It's not a cat shrine, is it?"

Kazuki half laughed, though he felt anything but amused. "No. An Inari shrine. A fox shrine. You'll be safe here."

"Safe from what?" Nico shot back.

"Please." Kazuki moved aside and gestured for Nico to walk ahead of him through the gate. For a moment Nico stood staring at him, his expression unreadable, and then he tossed his head and stalked up the short flight of steps beneath the gate.

Kazuki followed him, and soon they came to the long, low building that served as the entrance to the shrine. The most sacred buildings were higher on the hillside, but all worshippers had to pass through the entrance hall. A junior priest came out to meet them, dressed in the traditional Shinto robes of the Heian court, with a purple top robe, pale blue _hakama_ trousers, and a tall lacquered hat. He offered a deep bow to Kazuki and spoke in Japanese: "Greetings, Fox-Spirit-Deity-Who-Walks."

Even though he'd heard the title several times now, it still sounded strange. Kazuki tried not to wrinkle his nose and instead smiled at the junior priest. He was about to introduce Nico when the priest turned and offered a second, shallower bow. "Welcome, Fox Consort," he said in careful English before switching back to Japanese and telling Kazuki that everything had been made ready at the shrine.

Kazuki thanked him and hustled Nico out of the entrance hall and up another winding path overhung with three more sets of _torii_ gates.

Nico glanced at him sidelong. "Fox consort, huh?"

"Because you, uh, feed the fox inside me." Kazuki blushed, knowing he had to be honest with Nico now they were on sacred ground. "Also, because it was decided over the summer that since my ancestor is so powerful within me, then... I'm kind of the high priest of the local Inari worship."

Nico looked stunned. "High priest," he repeated as they turned a corner and passed beneath the second set of gates. "Shit. I mean, wow. That's really... Is that good? I mean, how can you be a high priest when you're an F1 driver?"

Kazuki grimaced. "With great difficulty. Technically, I should be here for every major festival and ceremony. This weekend, for example—it's the Mid-Autumn Festival. Qualifying in the afternoon, overseeing the festival at night. But I will do it."

"That's not really fair, is it? Why can't your..." Nico stopped, silent for a while, then he exhaled. "Ah. None of this would've happened without me. If I hadn't climbed that cliff with Lewis, if I hadn't fallen and smashed myself up on the rocks—"

"Please don't mention it." Kazuki shuddered, remembering the terror of that day all too clearly. "It happened, and it was fated for me to save you. I told you, I would do it again. I would do anything to keep you safe."

Nico stopped on the path, putting one hand on the smooth, vermillion-painted column of the _torii_. "But it's my fault that you're this high priest of—of whatever!"

"Inari." Kazuki looked away from Nico's miserable expression. "What's done is done. It cannot be changed now. If I must retire from F1, I will. It's not like I am having the best season so far. I know I can't hope to stay at Williams. Perhaps another team will give me a place, but I must be realistic."

Nico folded his arms. "You're a good driver, Kaz. You just haven't had much luck this year."

"And it is luck that has brought us here." Seizing on the opportunity to change the subject, Kazuki took Nico's hand once again and led him through the final set of _torii_ gates. "Your luck."

Nico snorted. "What luck? It seems to have deserted me these last couple of races."

"Yes. There is a reason for that."

Again Nico came to a halt, suspicion in his eyes. "Okay. Now I'm getting freaked out. This run of bad luck..."

"It's a curse." Kazuki tightened his hold and pulled him onwards. "A demon has caught you. That's why your luck has been bad."

"A demon." Nico dug in his heels and refused to move, his expression incredulous. "No. I'm sorry. I don't believe in demons."

Kazuki pulled away and faced him. "You don't believe in demons, yet you believe I have a fox spirit inside me that saved your life? The same fox spirit that prevented you from being bitten by that dog just now? So exactly how does that work?"

Nico looked abashed. "I didn't mean to insult you."

"No, of course not." Kazuki felt his temper rise as all the frustrations and silences he'd had to keep locked inside these past few weeks started to bubble over. He tried to rein it in, conscious of the fact that he never became angry, but perhaps he'd been in England too long and had forgotten how to wall up his emotions. His hands bunched into fists as he gazed at Nico. "Do you even believe me after all? Or does it just suit you to thread me along?"

"String," Nico murmured, dropping his gaze for a moment. He shook his head, wings of golden hair flopping into his eyes. He looked up. "I'm not stringing you along. I told you—I like you. A lot. What we have is good. More than good. It's great. You make me happy."

"And yet you don't believe me."

Nico spread his hands in a helpless gesture. "Kaz, I know something happened on that sailing trip. I know you saved my life, and frankly, I can't explain how you did it, whether it was a superpower or a _kitsune_ ancestor or what. I know what you did for me, and I know I can never repay it."

"I don't want your gratitude."

"Then what do you want?"

"I can't—" Kazuki killed his response, letting silence speak for him. When he felt calmer, he continued, "A high priest must make sacrifices."

"Sacrifices..." Nico frowned, his bewilderment plain to see. "What is this crap, Kaz? I don't understand."

Kazuki tipped back his head and stared up at the pale grey sky, so cold and distant. "We have no future. I must let you go." His voice cracked. Ashamed of his weakness, he strode off, taking the steps two at a time, the silk of his kimono shirring with each pace.

"Hey! What about what I want?" Nico chased after him, his progress not hampered by expensive fabric and the cut of traditional robes. "For God's sake, Kaz—talk to me!"

"There's no point," Kazuki said, his teeth gritted. "We cannot be together. After tonight, it will be over."

Nico gave a short, sharp laugh of disbelief. "You're dumping me because some dude in a pointy hat tells you to?"

Kazuki shook his head. "It is not that simple."

"The hell it is." Nico got in front of him and blocked the path. His eyes flashed with silver heat. "That guy, that priest—he called me 'fox consort', right? That makes me—what, like your husband or something? So I get a say in this relationship. Fox consorts have rights, too!"

"You have no rights." Even though the pain ripped deep, Kazuki forced himself to continue. "I will have many consorts."

Nico took a step back, his face turning ashen. He blinked, tried to speak, and came up with nothing for a moment, then managed a harsh laugh. "I see. Wow. You really are dumping me."

"It's not what I want." Kazuki couldn't look at him anymore.

"Then why the fuck are you doing it?" Nico shouted, misery and humiliation in every taut line of his body. "It's because I'm a man, right? I'm not good enough. I'm a shitty consort because I'm a guy."

Kazuki raised his hands, unhappy with the way things were slipping out of control. He couldn't bear to see Nico so furious, so upset, and it was all his fault. He should have explained sooner. He should have prevented it from getting this far. "It's not that," he said, trying to reassure Nico. "Fox consorts can be of either gender. It's simply a polite term for those who gift the fox with their energy, their _ki_."

"Their orgasms," Nico snapped. "Stupid me. All this time and I thought you actually cared about me, but it was just sex you wanted."

"That's not true." Kazuki recoiled from the accusation. "You know it's not true."

But Nico wasn't listening. "I was trying so hard to show you it wasn't gratitude or pity or anything else. I was with you because I wanted to be with you. Because I liked you. I trusted you." He raked a hand through his hair, his expression crumpled halfway between anger and despair. "What a joke. You never wanted me in the first place."

"Nico, I did. I do. I—" Kazuki felt his voice fade, felt his fox ancestor rouse herself and lash out at the demon curled inside Nico.

Golden light, like dancing dust motes in a sunbeam, wrapped around them. Above, the pine trees shook and bowed beneath a violent blast of wind— _human males, so stubborn, so proud_ —and the vermilion gates groaned— _descendent of mine, make your peace with your consort_ —and the ground shook, steam rising from the cracks between the paving— _just drive out that demon so I can feed, I don't like its taste_ —and lightning flickered around them.

Nico shrank back, then the shadow within him shifted and showed itself, fur and fangs and claws, green-eyed and vicious, hissing and spitting.

Kazuki's fox rolled her eyes. _Oh, please. You can do better than that._

Nico's demon yowled, flattening its ears against its head, its tail wagging in furious strikes as it gathered itself back on its haunches and sprang—

In a split-second, the fox disappeared, her mocking laughter echoing through the trees. The demon loosened its grip, and Nico barrelled into Kazuki, knocking them both to the ground. They tangled together on the cold, damp stone, gasping and tumbling, flailing about to stop themselves from rolling down the steps beneath the _torii_ gates.

They stopped struggling, Nico still on top of Kazuki, staring at each other. Slowly they glanced around, then slowly they inched apart until they sat on the path, still staring warily at one another.

"Whoa." Nico dropped his gaze to examine his hands, holding them out as if they were claws. "What the fuck was that about?"

"The fox inside me disapproves of the way I'm handling the situation."

"And me?" Nico demanded. "What do I have inside me?"

Kazuki gave him a sad smile. "The demon. Didn't you realise yet? It's a cat."

* * *

So he had a cat demon living inside him. Nico tried to get his head around that thought during the remainder of the walk up to the shrine. He touched the silver bell dangling from his neck and remembered the way he'd behaved last night—the way he'd chewed the bell from his wrist and batted the thing around the floor; the way he'd acted in bed, with those odd flashes of fur and claws and snarling anger.

Just like a cat.

Nico shivered and pushed his hands into his jeans pockets. Maybe it wasn't so bad playing host to a cat demon. There were worse animals, after all. At least cats were clean, self-sufficient, haughty, arrogant... He stopped his list, realising these were all epithets that had been applied to him at one time or another.

He eyed Kazuki just ahead of him on the path, guilt nagging at him when he saw the stripes of moss and mud over the elegant kimono. He'd had a moment of absolutely no control, as if his brain had shut down and he'd been a puppet. He'd felt the demon's fury as it responded to the fox spirit inside Kazuki, and it had driven him to act like—like...

Like a cat.

Nico curled his hands into fists, shoving them deeper into his pockets. He didn't want to believe he was possessed by a demon any more than he wanted to believe in Kazuki's fox spirit. For sure something had happened back in Monaco, and the fox ancestor was a more palatable story than anything he'd been able to come up with, but deep down Nico still didn't want to believe it.

He didn't want his relationship with Kazuki to be built on some freak paranormal accident. But it was, and if Kazuki had his way, then by the end of the day there would be no more relationship. Nico swallowed the anger that built in him as he remembered their argument. He hated the idea of being one in a long line of fox consorts. He'd been the one to wake the fox, for fuck's sake! If it hadn't been for him, Kazuki would never have gained his strange powers and he wouldn't be a high priest.

Nico sighed, blowing his hair out of his eyes. Yeah, if it wasn't for him, things would be a whole lot simpler. He shouldn't have asked Lewis on that sailing trip. He should just have invited Kazuki on his own and then made his move, rather than over-thinking things as usual and taking Lewis along for moral support in case it all went wrong.

Well, it did go wrong, and in the most spectacular way—and now Kazuki was stuck with a sex-crazed fox residing inside him and a new job that required him to wear fancy robes and odd hats. And did Kazuki blame him for this? No, he did not. Nico's gloom increased. It would be so much easier to deal with everything if only Kazuki would get angry with him.

So, he had a cat demon living inside him and his lover wanted to dump him. Could his day get any worse? Nico sank into a wallow of self-pity and self-recrimination, and only pulled out of it when he almost blundered into Kazuki.

"The shrine," Kazuki said, and led the way through another, smaller hall with red pillars and a sloping, green-tiled roof. Beyond it stood a raised pool fed by the trickle of a stream from the hillside. Nico followed Kazuki's example as he dipped his hands into the pool then touched the water to his lips.

"Purification," Kazuki explained simply as Nico patted his mouth dry on his sleeve. "No one can come before the _kami_ —the deity—without being clean."

"Okay." That made sense. Nico wiped his hands on his jeans and looked around. The shrine wasn't anything like he'd imagined. He'd thought it would resemble one of the temples he'd seen in Shanghai, but instead it was a cluster of low, elegant but faded buildings set within the clearing of a natural bowl in the hillside. The stream ran to one side, and pine and maple trees sheltered the site from the wind. It had a sort of unearthly beauty to it, though Nico once again felt very much out of place.

Kazuki began explaining the purpose of some of the shrine buildings, and just as Nico obediently looked towards one of the halls, he realised someone was standing right beside them.

Startled—how had he got here so fast?—Nico yelped and crushed closer to Kazuki, almost knocking him over. "Kaz, look, oh my God! A ninja! He came out of nowhere!"

The man beside the pool gave a faint smile, and Nico blushed, hoping he didn't understand English. Maybe this guy was a ghost or something. He certainly looked the part, dressed in the same sort of costume as the junior priest in the entrance hall down the hill, except ghost-guy wore white patterned silk over an ice-blue robe and darker blue baggy trousers. Though Japanese, his skin was paler than Nico's, and his hair was a wild feathery mane of pure white, his eyes black as obsidian and his features narrow, almost fox-like.

Kazuki exclaimed and bowed, speaking in rapid Japanese. Ghost-guy inclined his head in return and spoke a few words in deep, rounded tones.

"This is the _kannushi_ ," Kazuki explained in a low voice, turning to Nico. "The word means 'god-master'. In ancient times, the _kannushi_ would speak for the deity and interpret the deity's wishes. Today, they perform the rituals and take care of the shrine."

Nico considered this. "I guess you speak for the... deity, now."

A tiny furrow of distress wrinkled Kazuki's brow. "It's very complicated."

"Everything seems very complicated."

The _kannushi_ studied Nico, sweeping him with an assessing gaze, his attention fixing on the silver bell on its vermilion ribbon.

"It was my idea," Kazuki said in English. "The sacred colour and a bell to ward off evil. I thought together the charm would help contain the demon. It worked. Mostly."

Nico blushed and squirmed beneath the unwavering black gaze.

"Ah, yes." The _kannushi_ looked amused, or maybe that was his usual expression. He also spoke English. "Fox consort has been enchanted by a cat."

"I haven't seen any cats in Japan!" Nico protested.

Kazuki shook his head. "It didn't happen here. Your bad luck started in Italy."

Nico stared at him. There had been a cat in Italy, he recalled; a scrawny black creature with green eyes. He'd been strolling down the street on the way to a restaurant when the cat had shot out of an alley and walked directly in front of him. He'd stopped, conscious of the superstition, then he'd chuckled at his silliness. It was just a cat.

No sooner had the thought crossed his mind when the animal turned, its fur bristling as it hissed at him. Nico had given ground, suddenly nervous as the cat stalked towards him, its green eyes seeming to glow in the fading light of evening. Then it yowled and dashed past him, disappearing behind a wall.

It had been nothing, really. True, it had made him feel a bit anxious for about thirty seconds, but he'd forgotten about it until now. Scrubbing a hand through his hair, he said, "You're telling me all this happened—my bad race finishes, my clumsiness, all of that—because a black cat crossed my path in Monza?"

Kazuki nodded. "I read about this. Black cats are very unpopular in Italy. Thousands are killed every year because they are considered unlucky, linked to witchcraft... and now, one of them has cursed you."

"I don't believe it." Nico folded his arms across his chest, prepared to be stubborn about this.

"Believe it." Kazuki gave him a stern glance, as if he could see right through Nico's bravado. "The demon is inside you. I know it; I can see it. So did the old woman in Hong Kong, and everyone who met you today, including the dog. You know it, too. You just don't want to accept it."

Nico patted his head, looking for pointy ears. "A cat demon."

" _Neko_ ," said the _kannushi_ , sounding remarkably cheerful. "Fear not, fox consort. The demon can be exorcised."

"Exorcised?"

"I promised to keep you safe." Kazuki looked at him. "I will get rid of the demon, but I need help. That's why we're here."

Nico felt a bit faint. "You want to exorcise me."

"It is painless," the _kannushi_ assured him, still smiling.

Painless. Right. Scenes from _The Exorcist_ crowded his mind. Nico drew the line at having his head spin round like a top, and he could do without the projectile vomiting, too. "What if I don't want to be exorcised?"

The _kannushi_ stopped smiling. "It would be bad."

"How bad?" He waited for an answer, but when Kazuki and the _kannushi_ exchanged sombre looks, Nico continued, "Don't tell me. What do I have to do?"

* * *

Plunging into an icy-cold pool of spring water wasn't high on his list of fun ways to spend the day, Nico decided as he surfaced and slicked the wet hair from his face. Never mind the fact that the Finnish side of him should rejoice at the mere thought of leaping into freezing baths; he liked warm water and beaches and sunshine, and if that made him a wuss, then so be it.

Shivering, Nico crawled from the pool, the silver bell around his neck ringing wetly. As quick as possible, he dried off with the rough, nubbly-textured towel the _kannushi_ had left for him. Kazuki had already endured the cold bath that marked the start of the exorcism ritual, and was somewhere else preparing for whatever role he had to play in the ceremony.

Dry but still cold, Nico picked through the clothes he'd been given to wear for the rite. It was the same sort of get-up the _kannushi_ wore, but with a padded vermilion under-robe and the baggy trouser things. He wrapped the red robe around him and fumbled with the ties, finally working out that he'd crossed it over his body the wrong way. Then came the baggy trousers, which had long tapes that passed around his waist so many times he felt like a chicken trussed for the oven.

Finally, he wriggled into the pristine white silk top robe that Kazuki told him was called a hunting costume, though how anyone could possibly hunt in such a garment, Nico had no idea. The sleeves seemed to be detachable, fastened only at the back of the shoulder, and they were so wide and long just the tips of his fingers were visible when he held out his arms. The hunting costume looked more like an apron than a robe, split up both sides except for the waistband. The fabric at the back was like the train on a wedding gown, dragging along the ground behind him for a good couple of feet.

Nico almost tripped over the train as he sat and pulled on the suede, curly-toed boots he'd been given. Certain that he looked like a complete idiot, he combed his fingers through his still-damp hair and emerged from the purification room into an antechamber.

Kazuki sat waiting for him, similarly dressed, though he looked good in the outfit. The _kannushi_ stood at a table, mixing vermilion paint on a jade palette. Taking no notice of Nico's presence, he dipped a brush into the paint and marked two squashed oval shapes on Kazuki's forehead, above his eyebrows.

Nico smoothed his hair again, wondering if he had to wear the same decoration.

"Moth eyebrows," Kazuki said with a small smile. "In ancient times, all nobles plucked their real eyebrows and painted 'moth eyebrows' on their faces as a sign of their good breeding and taste. Over time it came to symbolise the god-touched."

It looked a bit odd to Nico. "Um, do I need to have them?"

"No." The _kannushi_ came towards him, pausing only to dip the brush again. "You are fox consort. Your markings are different."

Nico took a step back, but the _kannushi_ ignored his uncertainty and painted a warm stripe of vermilion down the centre of his forehead. This done, the _kannushi_ turned away and spoke to Kazuki in Japanese. Nico resisted the urge to dab a finger in the drying paint, and hurried across the room when Kazuki called him.

"You look nervous," Nico whispered, shaking back one long sleeve to grasp Kazuki's hand. "Should I be nervous, too?"

"No." Kazuki gave him a tremulous smile and squeezed his fingers. "I will be with you. And I will tell you what will happen at each stage of the exorcism."

"You're sure this doesn't hurt, right? I'll be mad if it hurts."

Kazuki gave him a very serious look. "It will hurt the demon, not you."

"Right." Nico tried not to think about that too much. "So what happens now?"

"We go into the _heiden_ , the Hall of Offerings. This is where the worshippers come to pray to Inari and ask for the deity's blessing." Kazuki tilted his head as a silvery chime rang out. "We can go in now."

Nico took a quick breath as they stepped through into the Hall of Offerings. The space was plain of decoration except for more red columns. A low, flat altar covered in red cloth held a number of offerings, mainly dishes of rice and small sealed jugs of what Nico imagined to be _sake_. Either side of the altar stood two stylised fox statues, their angular heads turned inwards.

A brazier smouldered in one corner, sending curls of blue-plumed smoke into the air. Nico wrinkled his nose at the scent, a strong, distinctive odour that seemed to have cloves as a base note. At the sound of bells chiming, he turned to see the _kannushi_ enter the hall and bow towards the altar. Now he wore a tall lacquered hat over his upswept hair, and carried what looked like a wand with white zigzag paper streamers attached to the top.

Kazuki drew Nico forwards and they knelt together a short distance from the altar. The _kannushi_ 's expression was blank, his eyes glittering as he moved around them, marking out five points. A pentacle, Nico realised with a slight burst of hysteria. He looked at Kazuki, suddenly aware of the faint golden light surrounding him. This time, Nico thought it seemed to be reaching out to him, too.

The smoke thickened and the scent of the incense grew stronger. Nico shifted on his knees, feeling twitchy. His tail— _what tail_ —flicked, and his whiskers— _I shaved already_ —trembled.

The _kannushi_ stood in front of him, a serene half smile on his lips. "Ah, _neko_." He lifted the wand and chanted a series of words that to Nico sounded like nonsense. Inside him, something turned over, wary and annoyed. Nico heard a growl ease from his throat, even though he wasn't conscious of making a sound. He turned to Kazuki in confusion and tried to speak over the growl, but couldn't.

Kazuki clasped his hand tight. "The demon will resist. The _kannushi's_ spells will force it out of you and imprison it within this." He lifted his free hand and held up a paper cut-out doll in vaguely human shape.

Still unable to speak, Nico raised his eyebrows and hoped it conveyed the appropriate 'what the fuck' message.

"Trust me." Kazuki's smile was wan. "This has worked for hundreds of years."

Nico wondered if it had ever worked on a Westerner, and decided it was a good thing he couldn't ask. He didn't really want to know the answer. Instead he focused as the _kannushi_ waved the wand and intoned a series of increasingly loud and booming commands.

In response, Nico sat back on his haunches and hissed. The bell around his neck chimed in warning, and he snapped at it, distracted for a moment. Unable to bite at the ribbon, he lifted his free hand and scratched at it. If he had two paws— _hands_ —he'd be able to break free of the bell again, but when he tried to tug his left paw away from the fox— _Kazuki_ —he found himself held tight.

The words of the spell drummed through his head. Nico flinched from the power swirling about the hall. He crouched on the floor, his fur ruffled, the bell chiming with each furious tremble of his body as he attempted to avoid the stony gazes of the two fox statues either side of the altar. A high-pitched whine started within him, drilling down his spine and reverberating around his skull. Though it didn't hurt, he acted as if he did, twisting and wriggling as if to escape from the sound. It built and built, obliterating every one of his senses, until the noise resolved itself into the tolling of a temple bell.

Nico opened his mouth to scream at it, but just as he drew breath, the sound stopped. He gasped and almost toppled forwards, his ears ringing with the sudden silence. His hair fell into his eyes, and he pushed it back as he looked up at the _kannushi_. "Has it gone? Is it over?"

Kazuki added something in Japanese, perhaps repeating the questions.

A long pause, and then the _kannushi_ said softly in English, "The demon likes you very much," before switching into Japanese and saying something to Kazuki.

"It hasn't gone, has it." Nico didn't know how he'd feel after the exorcism, but from the consternation on the faces of both the _kannushi_ and Kazuki, he guessed something was amiss.

"It is still within you." Kazuki spoke to the _kannushi_ again, his tone urgent, and after some discussion, he rose to his feet. "Come with me. There is one more thing we can try."

They left the hall and went into the smaller building behind it, accessible through a single door covered in red silk. "This is the _honden_ ," Kazuki said, lowering his voice to a whisper. "The sanctuary, the residence of the deity. Normally this area is forbidden to the laity, but I may enter because of my unusual status, and you may enter because you are the fox consort."

"Uh, great." Nico glanced around. The sanctuary looked much the same as the place they'd just left, except it was smaller, more intimate. Another altar stood at the front of the space, again flanked by two fox statues. The male held a sheaf of rice in its mouth, while the female had a kit beneath her right forepaw.

The _kannushi_ brought the brazier through and set it up, bowed to the altar, then whispered something to Kazuki before he retreated, closing the door firmly behind him.

Despite the thickness of his padded robes, Nico shivered at the cold air circulating the room. He went over to the brazier and folded back his sleeves, holding out his hands to catch the warmth. The blue smoke made his eyes prickle, and he blinked, staring at the glowing coals and the ball of smouldering scent.

Silk shirred and whispered as Kazuki paced across the wooden floor. Nico stayed where he was, feeling drowsy from the rising heat, and listened as Kazuki opened out a screen and set it nearby. More rituals, Nico supposed. His mind drifted as he breathed in the sultry fragrance of the incense. In the Hall of Offerings he'd found it too potent, but now it seemed soothing.

Kazuki stood opposite him, his sleeves gathered to the elbow and fastened in place with the threaded ribbons that ran through the ends of the heavy fabric. He unhooked a bronze poker from the brazier and stirred the coals, making heat flare and sparks dance, tiny flames catching and blazing.

Nico took a step away, half turning to feel the chill of the room on his hot face. He stopped, shock slamming through him as he saw the dark shape of their shadows cast on the open screen.

"Look," he whispered. "Kaz, look."

Kazuki replaced the poker and folded his hands. He kept his gaze fixed on the coals. "It's an old trick. Demons and spirits will always reveal their true selves by their shadows. Now do you believe?"

"I—I..." Nico stared. Kazuki's shadow had a long, bushy tail, pointed ears, and a sharp, narrow muzzle—a fox standing on its hind legs. His own shadow had a rounder muzzle, visible whiskers, smaller ears, and a lashing tail. Unmistakably, he had the shadow of a cat.

"That's really freaky." Nico tested his shadow, waving his arms and standing on one leg and hopping. It behaved exactly as he did, just as the fox shadow followed Kazuki's movements to precision as he walked away from the brazier.

"Oh, God." Nico sank to the floor, the stiffened silk of his robes crumpling. He stared at his shadow. "I really do have a cat demon inside me."

Kazuki stepped around the screen, leaving Nico alone with only his shadow for company. "I will make it right," Kazuki promised from the other side of the _shoji_ , his voice soft but confident.

Nico wondered what Kazuki was doing over there. He listened, but could hear nothing more than a few gentle sounds. "How?" Nico asked. "How will you make this right?"

A few moments later, Kazuki reappeared around the screen carrying a white jade palette with a puddle of black ink mixed inside it. A brush was tucked behind Kazuki's ear, and in one hand he held the paper doll. He set the items on the floor and knelt.

He met Nico's gaze. "I will cover you with incantations to force the demon out. Please, take off your robes."

"It's cold. I—I don't want to do this." Nico shuffled backwards, sliding over the polished wooden floor until he bumped into the statue of the male fox. Glancing up, he was sure the statue's blank eyes gleamed at him in silent amusement. He mewed in reaction, then clamped a hand over his mouth.

"Nico." Kazuki summoned him, beckoning him.

"Sssss." Nico shook his head, his hair fluffing around his face. He snapped at thin air then jumped up, skittering across the room to the other side of the brazier. Tremors ruffled his fur and his vision shrank, changing colour for a split-second until he gasped and brought himself out of it.

Kazuki watched him with a calm expression. "Come here."

Nico tried to walk towards him, but the cat demon revolted. He struck out with his hind paw— _leg_ —and almost toppled the brazier, but the fox— _Kazuki_ —was faster, reaching out to steady it without even touching it.

Horrified by his actions, Nico struggled to fight off the demon. "I don't want to do this. It won't work. It'll hurt." The sound of his voice shocked him, whining and afraid, the pitch all wrong.

"That's the demon talking, not you." Kazuki dipped the brush into the ink. "Come to me, fox consort. Kneel for me. Undress for me."

Nico hauled himself across the floor, hissing and shuddering, his claws— _nails_ —scraping against the polished wood as the demon tried to steer clear of the fox. The bell around his neck started to chime, and as if in response, a coal in the brazier popped and sent up a spray of sparks, startling him.

Kazuki took advantage of his surprise, darting forward and seizing a handful of silk, tipping Nico sideways so he sprawled across the floor. Nico made a sound halfway between a moan and a hiss, trying to right himself. The billowing yards of fabric entangled him and he slipped, landing on his back. A moment later, Kazuki sat astride him, pulling at the layers of silk.

Snarling and twisting, Nico drew up his legs, trying to kick out. Kazuki grabbed at one arm as Nico flailed. Holding him down, Kazuki yanked at the plaited collar of the hunting costume and then the waist-sash. "Sorry, so sorry," he whispered, his face stricken as Nico yowled and struggled, thrashing from side to side in an attempt to buck Kazuki off him.

"It's kind of sexy," Nico managed to gasp, arching up, his body seemingly beyond his mind's control. He laughed, helpless to do anything else. "I'm sorry, too. I don't want to fight you."

"It's the demon." Kazuki shoved the hunting costume aside. He unfastened the sash that held the vermilion robe together and tore it open, exposing Nico's naked body to his gaze. He swallowed and stared down at him, his eyes intense. "You're gorgeous."

Nico writhed. "No, I'm possessed. Get rid of it. Do something."

Kazuki dug his knees into Nico's waist and settled himself over his thighs, a position that kept Nico from wriggling about too much. Nico giggled, light-headed as he felt the chill air slide over his body. His nipples tightened and he shuddered, tilting back his head and half closing his eyes as anticipation shimmered through him.

The cat in him purred and stretched. Nico murmured, lifting his hands to fluff out his hair. He closed his eyes completely, sinking into the darkness and listening to the distant silvery chime of the bell. He felt Kazuki shift on top of him and raised his hips in offering, pushing up against the fox's slight weight.

Words flowed above him, Japanese, soft, non-threatening. Nico sighed, arousal stirring and waking. Something cold and liquid touched his skin and he jerked in reaction, opening his eyes to see Kazuki with a look of concentration on his face and the brush in his hand as he stroked columns of characters across Nico's chest, over his heart.

Desire and fear trembled through him. Nico writhed, moaning when the brush rough-tickled over his nipple. He tried to grab at Kazuki's arm, tried to knock away the brush. "What is this?"

"Sutras and spells." Kazuki worked quickly, pausing only to dip the brush in the ink. "Protection and love."

Nico gasped at the second set of sutras sketched across his chest, feeling emotion churn and roll inside him like thunderclouds through the heavens. "Love?"

The brush halted; Kazuki looked at him. "Yes."

The silver bell around his neck jingled as Nico tossed his head. He clawed at the thick silks spread around him, bunching the fabric in his fists. His limbs felt heavy, a delicious languor dragging him down even though he still wanted to fight and struggle and claw and bite. His cock pulsed, curving up against his belly. "Kaz. I don't know if this is me or the demon."

"It's both." Kazuki leaned down and blew across Nico's skin, drying the glistening ink.

"God." Nico clutched at Kazuki's shoulders, feeling the wrinkle of stiff silk beneath his paws— _hands_ —and sensing the determination in the tense set of the fox's— _Kazuki's_ —body. Nico tried to roll over but couldn't move. He panted for breath, a strange, feral urge unravelling inside him. He felt his humanity slip away, felt the descent into a baser need even as his voice climbed higher, cracking, whispering: "I feel like I'm burning up."

As if from a great distance, Nico watched Kazuki write out a spell around his navel. Nico drew in his muscles, making his belly concave, the flesh taut and sensitive as the brush described symbols that looked like ladders and zigzags and two sides of a triangle. The brush circled his navel and flicked down, tangling through the narrow stripe of body hair, Kazuki's fingers stroking against the side of Nico's erect cock.

Nico whimpered. "Please. Stop scribbling and fuck me."

"When I've finished." Kazuki looked calm, but Nico heard the hitch in his voice, saw the sheen of sweat on his upper lip, could almost taste his desire.

"You want me." Nico purred in pleasure and narrowed his eyes. He wriggled his arms free of the robes and stroked the tips of his fingers down over his body. He went slow, responding to his own touch with wanton cries and gasps. His excitement grew, tightening within him, encouraging the primal desire to rut, and he rumbled with satisfaction at the unmistakable flare of lust in Kazuki's eyes. "Put down the brush."

Kazuki wavered, staring at Nico with a fierce, hungry expression. The brush tilted, Kazuki lowering it to the floor beside the paper doll.

"Yes." Nico stretched, arching his back to thrust out his chest, his hips lifting in blatant invitation. He smiled. "Fuck me. I'm all yours."

With a shake of his head, Kazuki blinked free of the seduction. He dipped the brush again. "I must finish the sutras."

Nico hissed. Before Kazuki could touch the brush to his skin, Nico licked both pads— _palms_ —and rubbed his paws— _hands_ —over the existing spells. He gave a breathless laugh when the still-damp ink smudged and smeared, the characters and symbols merging into a blur. Malicious joy bubbled through him, and he snapped his teeth at Kazuki in triumph. "Now you will have to rewrite them."

"No." Kazuki gripped one of Nico's wrists and painted a series of lines along the sensitive underside of his forearm. "The moment the spell is written is the moment it takes effect. As soon as the spell is conceived and made real, its power begins."

Gasping, Nico realised what Kazuki said was the truth. He felt the spells and sutras surrounding him, felt the magic caress him. Furious, he jerked upright and caught hold of Kazuki, dragging him down into a kiss.

Nico clung tight, his claws— _fingers_ —digging into Kazuki's back through the layers of silk. He mewled into the embrace, biting at Kazuki's lower lip. They kissed, open-mouthed and hungry, desire lightning-sharp and stabbing. Nico surrendered to it, melting into it, tasting ink and power and light.

Kazuki pulled free, running his tongue over his lips as he sat back and retrieved the brush. "Soon," he said, his eyes golden in the half light given off from the brazier, and Nico shivered at the promise in his voice.

Changing position, Kazuki turned Nico onto his front, arranging him to lie naked on a cushioning layer of his clothes. Once more seated astride his thighs, Kazuki covered Nico's back in spells, intoning certain words aloud.

Nico didn't know what the words meant, but it didn't matter. The demon recognised them as commands and tried to resist, but Nico refused to let the cat control him. With each wriggle and writhe, he felt more excited; with each attempt at escape, Nico craved possession.

Kazuki moved back, leaning close to detail a series of symbols on the up-swell of Nico's arse. The tickle of the brush was a torment, and Nico pressed down against the hardness of the floor through the padded silk, grinding his cock against the slippery warmth of the robes.

Heat lit through him then he shivered as if cold, the bell at his throat ringing all the time as he moaned and jolted and scrabbled towards a distant climax. Nico shoved up, half rising onto his hands and knees, pushing himself shamelessly against Kazuki. With a cry of joy, he felt the strength of Kazuki's erection beneath the layers of silk. Nico wriggled, a fierce sense of need clawing at him. His body felt new, his blood unfamiliar as it coursed through his veins. Anticipation hung between them, the air crackling with tension. Restless, wanting, Nico gasped for breath and keened in sheer desperate need.

As if by instinct they rubbed against each other, falling into the rhythm of play-fucking almost without thought. Realisation pierced the fog of lust, and Nico knew that the desire ruling him was also affecting Kazuki.

Nico moaned, flicking back his sweat-dampened hair from his eyes. "Kaz..."

The brush clattered to the floor. The paper doll was swept to lie in front of him, its edges curling in the slight draught. Kazuki whispered, "It is done."

They both hesitated, and then Kazuki groaned and snaked closer, stretching full length and pressing against Nico's naked body, rocking his hips to nudge even closer still. The heavy silk of his hunting costume slithered over Nico's hyper-sensitive skin, the spells and sutras burning like fiery brands into his flesh, a pain melded with ecstasy so intense his mind blanked with its sweetness.

Kazuki moved over him, dragging the silk over his back. Nico burrowed into the robes beneath him, the fabric cool against his over-heated skin. He jumped, murmuring in startled surprise as something wet and delicate touched his flesh. For a moment he thought it was the brush again, but then realised it was Kazuki's tongue.

A frantic mewl of pleasure escaped Nico's lips as Kazuki licked down his flank and up over the curve of his arse. Kazuki nipped at him, a line of bite-kisses as he worked inwards, and then he opened Nico with his fingers, spreading his arse-cheeks wide to run his tongue down the cleft.

Nico raised his head on a gasp of shocked delight. He edged his thighs further apart and tilted his arse, grinding back against Kazuki's face. The hot flicker of Kazuki's tongue around his hole made Nico grunt in reaction, and when Kazuki probed inside, tasting him, Nico cried out, clutching at the silks beneath him.

Kazuki tongue-fucked him, holding Nico by the hips to manage his response. Drenched with lust, Nico surrendered the last vestiges of control. He pushed back, desperate for more, Kazuki's saliva and his own sweat wetting his thighs and arse. The thick, heavy scent of musk drowned the air, and Nico gulped it in, feeling heady as the stink of sex blurred with the fragrance of the incense.

The slick sounds of flesh and saliva, of licking and sucking, made Nico yell silently, shuddering his pleasure through his open mouth. The robes beneath him were damp with sweat and spit and pre-come, rucked up and twisted by the rhythmic, jerking motion of his body. Orgasm glimmered at the edges of his consciousness.

A susurrus of silk unravelling made Nico glance back over his shoulder. Through his sweat-tangled wings of hair, he watched Kazuki loosen the ink-blotted hunting costume and unfasten the ties of his trousers. Kazuki stared at him, his gaze hot and intent with undisguised lust.

"Yes, yes, do it." The bell around Nico's neck chimed, punctuating his panted, frantic words. Kazuki moved over him, grasping Nico's hips and pulling him up onto his knees. Nico moaned at the sensation of Kazuki's cock hard and hot against his skin, the head wet and slippery.

Urgency caught at them and they tangled together as Nico backed up, pawing at the silk twisted beneath him. He lowered his head and tried to bite, writhing and snapping as Kazuki mounted him. Nico growled, pressed chest-down onto the floor, Kazuki pinning him with his forelegs— _arms_ —and sinking his teeth into Nico's neck, biting across his nape to keep him still.

Nico cried out when Kazuki thrust into him. Even though they'd done this countless times before, it felt unfamiliar, a quiver running through his body, a slipknot of blank pleasure. Nico bowed his forehead to the floor, his heart thundering as he laboured to breathe through the searing heat of emotion. In a moment of blinding clarity, he heard himself begging, "Drive it out, Kaz. Love me. Fill me. Don't let it stay inside me."

Kazuki hesitated, his breathing harsh and swift.

Desperate, Nico bucked against him. "Please!"

The hesitancy was swept away as the fox snarled out and took control. Kazuki drove into him, taking his pleasure with dizzying, brutal intensity. Nico gloried in it, shutting down his human responses and allowing the cat inside him to react with equally savage abandon. They fucked and rutted like animals, growling and hissing as they moved together in violent ecstasy.

Nico twisted and writhed, laughter burning through him, and then Kazuki fastened his teeth into his neck again and Nico froze utterly still, the fight and the fear gone from him, leaving only mindless, overwhelming pleasure. He felt his body unfurl, his spirit opening, a struggle within him, and then a deep sense of possession, safety, sanctuary.

Trembling on the edge of orgasm, Nico reached back in desperation. Kazuki gripped his hand, squeezing tight as Nico soared into climax with a soundless scream.

Golden light surrounded him. Nico felt Kazuki come inside him, heard a rush of Japanese words that made no sense, felt the fox's satisfaction as she fed. Pleasure tumbled through him, a backwash of emotion so strong Nico collapsed onto the padded silk beneath him, sending the paper doll skittering away.

Just before he fell, the vermilion ribbon slipped from his neck. The silver bell clinked as it dropped, then chimed as it rolled across the floor.

* * *

The sound of bells ringing roused Kazuki from sleep. Disoriented for a moment, he sat up and blinked around at the sanctuary hall. The coals lining the bottom of the brazier glowed beneath a thick layer of ash, giving off a residual heat. The two fox statues stared down at both him and the shape curled beneath the discarded silken layers of ritual clothes.

Kazuki touched Nico's hair, running the fine blond strands through his fingers. Nico slept on, smudges of exhaustion beneath his eyes, his breathing deep and even. Loath to disturb him, Kazuki extricated one of the padded vermilion robes and slipped out of their warm nest to pull it on. Decent, if not decently dressed, he retrieved the paper doll and the silver bell on its tattered scrap of ribbon and tucked both inside the width of his sleeve.

He opened the door leading into the Hall of Offerings and bowed three times before the altar. By the time he completed the third bow, the _kannushi_ had appeared beside him, the ends of his frost-feathered hair sparkling with dew and the trailing hems of his robes damp, as if he'd spent the night out in the forest.

In anxious silence, Kazuki took the bell and paper doll from his sleeve and held them out. The _kannushi_ received them, smiling faintly as he studied both items. After a moment, he folded the bell inside the shape of the doll. "Fox consort is safe."

Kazuki exhaled. "Thank you."

"I did nothing. You are the one who drove out the cat." The _kannushi_ lifted an eyebrow and smiled. "Come, let us banish the demon forever."

They went outside to the pool, where the _kannushi_ murmured a few words as he dipped the bell and doll into the water. The bell he let slip from his hand, allowing it to fall gleaming into the depths of the pool. The wet doll he carried to the stream as it tumbled down the hillside, and with another low chant, he released the paper doll into the water.

Kazuki watched the scrap of wet paper disappear from view. His spirits lifted and he took a deep breath, inhaling the scent of the morning. He laughed with relief, hugging himself within the vermilion robe.

"Kaz?"

Kazuki turned. On the veranda of the Hall of Offerings stood Nico, swathed in a mismatch of their ink-spattered robes, his hair mussed and his jaw scruffy with stubble. He looked nervous. "Did it work?"

"Yes." Kazuki laughed again and hurried towards him. "We banished the demon. It's gone now. You're safe."

"That's great." Nico's smile seemed too bright. "I mean, really. It's a good thing. Thank you. And thanks to the _kannushi_ , wherever he is."

"He's..." Kazuki glanced around, frowning, and realised they were alone. "He was here a minute ago."

"Do you know where he put my clothes? I don't want to walk down the hill dressed like this." Nico indicated his robes. "These are nice and everything, but I prefer my jeans."

Kazuki stepped up onto the veranda and eased off the boots he'd worn outside before following Nico barefoot back into the Hall of Offerings. They found their clothes folded neatly on a bench in the antechamber and got changed. It took Nico mere moments to swap his layers of silk for jeans and a shirt, and he watched with interest as Kazuki dressed in the kimono.

"Help me with this?" Kazuki offered him the black _obi_ , and Nico came near, wrapping the length of stiffened fabric around his waist as instructed. Nico stayed close even when Kazuki finished fastening the _obi_. He put his arms around Kazuki's waist and leaned his chin on Kazuki's shoulder.

"You said you'd look after me, and you did."

"It is my duty." Kazuki fussed with the front of his _obi_ , tucking and re-tucking some of the cloth.

Nico's breath was warm against his neck. "Was that the only reason you did it?"

Kazuki hesitated. He stared at the floor and tried to find the appropriate words. "I did it because I love you."

Nico released him from the embrace and stepped away. He seemed happier, his smile blazing when he turned in Kazuki's direction. "Then everything's fine. You, me, your fox... and no more cat demon."

"No more cat demon," Kazuki echoed, forcing a smile in return.

Nico laughed. "And all of that crap you said yesterday about breaking up with me—that's not true, right? You were just saying it to provoke the demon. You wanted to make it mad so it could be exorcised easier. And it worked, yeah? For sure it worked." He gave Kazuki a look of hopeful joy and laughed again.

It took real effort for Kazuki to keep the smile on his face. He couldn't bring himself to shatter Nico's delight. Not now, not after everything they'd shared here. The deception cut at him, wounding him to the heart. He couldn't tell a lie within the sacred space of an Inari shrine, so he said nothing and allowed Nico to think what he liked.

"We should go home." Kazuki checked the time as he fastened his watch around his wrist. "My father will be waiting to drive us to Suzuka soon. If we hurry, we can make it back to the house in forty minutes. My mother will have breakfast ready for us."

Nico brightened even more. "Breakfast! I'm starving. We didn't eat last night. Not food, anyway." He blushed and gave a wicked grin. "Guess I worked up an appetite."

Kazuki dipped his head, avoiding Nico's gaze. "I guess."

In the end it took closer to an hour for them to get down the hill, their pace slowed by a number of curious locals out for their morning walk who showed more than a passing interest in Nico. News travelled fast around here, and Kazuki wondered if the villagers were more interested in Nico's role as the fox consort than in his status as exorcised victim of a foreign cat demon.

Back at the house they had enough time to eat a quick breakfast before they packed and loaded the car. Nico seemed transformed, chirpy and charming as he went to each family member, bowing and smiling. Kazuki rolled his eyes as his aunts, even the one who disliked foreigners, giggled and blushed like schoolgirls when Nico turned his attention upon them.

As they opened the car doors, ready to leave, Grandfather tottered onto the steps and called out a farewell.

Nico waved in enthusiastic response. "Don't tell me, gramps is still planning for our firstborn."

Kazuki tried not to laugh. "He said he hopes you do well in the race."

"I hope so, too." Nico flashed him a brilliant smile. "I know I will. You took away my bad luck."

The journey to Suzuka seemed to take hours, even though the distance between the towns wasn't that far. Kazuki spent most of the journey staring out of the window at the gleaming waters of Ise Bay, while Nico chattered on about half a dozen things and even hummed along to a couple of Japanese pop songs on the radio.

At the circuit, Nico grabbed his case, thanked Kazuki's father, then dashed off to join the team, calling, "See you later!"

Kazuki took his time getting his things together. Aware of his father watching his progress, he said, "You can come into the garage, if you like. Have a look around. Talk to the engineers. It's not a problem."

"I'll be there tomorrow, with Daisuke." His father clasped Kazuki's shoulders and looked at him. "Listen to me. This is important."

Kazuki tried to shrug him off. "Dad, I have to go."

"Stop avoiding the subject." His father took a deep breath and shook his head. "Your decisions are not only about you. They have consequences for our entire family, for the townspeople, perhaps even the whole of Aichi prefecture. While the fox's power is mighty, the wishes of the heart cannot be ignored. There is a balance in life that must be found. You know this... and you know that right now, you are dealing with too much. There is no balance, and you are being pulled in two different directions."

"Dad—"

His father gave him a little shake. "Son, I am afraid you will try too hard. I don't want to see you fall for lack of balance."

Kazuki bit his lip. "I can't do this now. I can't decide."

"You must do it soon." His father squeezed his shoulders. "Very soon."

Panic, fear, and resentment swamped him, and Kazuki lifted his hands in a helpless gesture. "What would you do?"

His father stepped back. "I don't know."

Kazuki hauled his suitcase from the back of the car and dumped it on the ground with more force than necessary. "I should give up everything and dedicate my life to the fox, to Inari. I should turn my back on this dream," and he stabbed a finger at the circuit, "and find another dream, perhaps go to university and study to become a god-master."

He paused, his throat aching, the words emerging almost strangled. "I should forget Nico and let him go."

"Are you sure this is what you want?" His father gazed at him with concern. "It seems cruel. The fox is sometimes capricious, but she would not deny you happiness. Not even with your teammate."

Kazuki ducked his head as he fought to control the spill of his emotions. "It's the right thing to do. I know it is. But now is not the time for such a decision. I cannot think clearly when I should be focused on the race."

His father remained quiet, and his silence prompted Kazuki to continue, "Saturday. I will make my decision then, during the Mid-Autumn Festival."

"Very well." Reaching out again, his father patted his arm. "You know I'm proud of you, son. Whatever you decide." He pulled away and opened the car door. "I'll see you tomorrow."

"Thanks, Dad." Kazuki turned his back, unable to look at his father for one more moment. His head spun with too many thoughts, too many conflicting emotions. The pressure of making the decision weighed him down and made even the simplest action seem difficult. He fumbled his suitcase through the circuit entrance and wandered up and down the paddock a few times before he located the Williams motorhomes.

His father was wrong. It wasn't two directions he was being pulled in, it was four: love for his family, love for his job, love for the fox, and love for Nico. These things overlapped, becoming more complicated and harder to extricate himself from with every passing day. There was no easy solution. Whichever way he looked at it, he was going to lose something—or someone—he loved.

The rest of the day passed in a blur. Kazuki submitted to a round of media interviews and sponsorship stuff, then listened to his engineers discuss the set-up of the car before he was free to go to the hotel. He saw Nico socialising with some of the other drivers, but hurried past the bar before Nico could notice him. After a hurried meal from room service, Kazuki flicked through the TV channels, looking for something sufficiently absorbing to take his mind off his troubles.

He found a re-run of a kid's language show and watched a couple of skits based on silly puns. Kazuki smiled, wishing Nico was with him so he could explain the cleverness of the jokes. His smile faded and he snapped off the television. By the end of the weekend, he and Nico would be nothing more than teammates.

It took Kazuki a long time to get to sleep.

Friday's weather matched his mood—cold and wet, the skies full of lowering grey cloud. Kazuki ate breakfast alone and avoided Nico as much as he could around the paddock. In the pits it was easy enough to stay on his side of the garage and duck the puzzled and then the hurt glances sent his way, but Kazuki felt better once he was out on track.

The torrential rain had made the circuit slippery, but Kazuki didn't care. Though it was his first time here in an F1 car, he knew Suzuka, and as the miles slipped by, he kept pushing faster, his mind too full of crowded, painful thoughts for him to really acknowledge what he was doing on track. It was only when he got back to the pits that he realised he'd gone quickest—until Heikki just squeaked in a few tenths faster before the end of the session.

More interviews and briefings followed. Kazuki answered whatever he was asked and smiled whenever it was necessary, but all the while his mind ticked over, wrangling with the decisions he had to make. Not even the appearance of his father and brother in the paddock lifted his spirits, and he was aware of their worried, watchful exchanges whenever they thought he wasn't looking.

They ate dinner at the hotel rather than go out. Kazuki ordered something he didn't really want, then spent most of the meal poking at his food with his chopsticks and moving it around the bowl.

Daisuke started chatting about inconsequential things, but after the fifth attempt, he gave up. Their father remained silent, seated across from Kazuki and gazing at him the whole time. Kazuki kept his head down, occasionally eating a shrimp or piece of pepper or taking a sip from his soup bowl. He was so focused on his food that he didn't notice anyone approach their table until Daisuke said in an over-loud voice, "Hi, Nico."

Kazuki jerked up his head, eyes widening as he met Nico's proud, steady gaze.

"Hey." Nico slid into the empty seat opposite Daisuke without being invited. "I saw you guys over here and wanted... I just wanted to say hello." He coughed, tucking a strand of hair behind one ear. "Kaz, you were brilliant in FP1 today."

Kazuki put down his chopsticks and studied the tablecloth. "Thank you."

"I wondered..." Nico sounded uncertain, and when Kazuki glanced up, he saw the unhappiness and confusion he'd caused. Nico tried again: "I wondered if you had time to talk over the track with me?"

Kaz stared at him, the silence drawing out into unbearable tension.

A flush of humiliation spread over Nico's cheeks. He lifted his chin, his eyes glittering, and swallowed hard. "I guess not. Sorry for disturbing you."

Before Kazuki could ask his forgiveness, Nico stood and walked away, his spine stiff with anger and rejection. Kazuki gazed after him helplessly, willing Nico to turn around and come back, but instead he strode out of the dining room, his pace increasing as he neared the door.

When Kazuki looked at his family, his father shook his head and his brother pulled a disgusted 'what the fuck' face. Daisuke broke the silence with a sound of disbelief. "Bro, are you dense or what? Go after him."

Kazuki bowed his head. "I can't."

His father drew in a hiss of breath. "Then you have decided."

A sheen of tears blurred his sight. Kazuki closed his eyes. "Yes."

* * *

The knot on the plaited collar of his hunting costume refused to stay within its loop. Kazuki yanked at it, wrinkling the smooth lines of the stiffened silk. With a sigh, he tried again, fumbling the knot through the loop and patting down the robe.

He looked into the mirror and stood, turning slightly to watch his reflection as he gathered the train on the hunting costume. He tucked it up so the cloth wouldn't drag along the ground when he went outside, then returned to his seat with care and reached for the pots of make-up.

Going through the ritual of purification and dressing had calmed him, but Kazuki's mind still strayed to the events of the afternoon. Qualifying had been nightmarish. In front of his family and his home crowd, he'd struggled to a pathetic seventeenth spot on the grid. At least Nico had got into Q2, but he hadn't managed to hook up the car and had qualified eleventh.

Kazuki avoided looking at his reflection as he remembered Nico's anger back at the garage. He'd got out of his car and dropped his gloves—dropped, not thrown—and that was enough to make Kazuki aware of just how upset Nico was.

"So much for my luck changing," Nico had remarked to one of his mechanics, though his gaze had been directed across the garage, flaying Kazuki with guilt.

There'd been nothing to say. Kazuki put his head down and avoided Nico's hurt, accusing stares throughout the team briefing. When the meeting ended, Kazuki almost bolted out of the motorhome. Nico had followed him, put a hand on his shoulder to make him turn, but when Kazuki faced him, Nico seemed unable to say anything. In the end he'd shaken his head, blond hair flopping into his eyes, and he'd walked off without a single word.

It was this more than anything else that finally made Kazuki crumble. He had no idea how he managed to keep himself together, and could recall little of his journey back home. His father had tried talking to him, but Kazuki sank down in his seat and stared blindly out of the front window at the road ahead: grey, boring, endless.

His family had clustered around him when they'd arrived in time for dinner. Even Daisuke refrained from his usual jokes. Kazuki couldn't bear their wary kindness and knew he was spoiling the mood as well as their meal. He didn't even take a mooncake, even though his mother's red bean mooncakes were his favourite.

Instead he'd climbed the hill to the shrine and sat for a while in the Hall of Offerings, his breath misting the air in front of him as he'd waited for a sign that he'd done the right thing.

When nothing happened, he'd got to his feet and come here to the dressing room to prepare for the night ahead. Now he pulled the jade ink-stone towards him and tapped out powdered cinnabar from a small stone pot before mixing it with spring water into a rich, red paint. He took up a brush and dipped it into the liquid, then steadied his arm on the table and hovered the brush over his forehead, above his eyebrows.

His hand trembled. The first touch of the paint splodged in the wrong place. Cursing, Kazuki put down the brush and scrubbed at his forehead with a tissue. He couldn't even do his moth eyebrows right—how could he hope to be a god-master? Surely Inari wouldn't want such an inept servant.

Kazuki tried again, but with his confidence shattered, he couldn't bring himself to make even the smallest dot. Gritting his teeth against a wave of frustrated misery, he placed the brush across the ink-stone and lowered his gaze. He swallowed his anger and resentment then let out a sigh that was almost a sob.

As soon as he felt in control again, Kazuki looked up into the mirror, only to yelp and start back at the sight of the _kannushi_ reflected in its surface.

The _kannushi_ came close, holding his gaze through their reflections, and Kazuki realised for the first time that the _kannushi_ had golden eyes.

Stopping beside him, the _kannushi_ reached over and picked up the brush. "Your father told me you'd made your decision."

"I have." Kazuki tore his gaze away from the mirror and looked up, anxiety lodged in his throat. "But I don't want to take your job, your living, away from you."

"You are more than a god-master." The _kannushi_ gave his usual faint smile. "Besides, it takes years to perfect the rituals of Shinto. One cannot become a god-master overnight."

"But you should pass the living on to your son."

"Then perhaps I should adopt you." Another smile, warmer this time. The _kannushi_ cocked his head, his eyes gleaming. "Do not worry so much, Kazuki. What will be, will be. Now, hold still."

Kazuki didn't move as the _kannushi_ painted the ovals of his moth eyebrows, the touch delicate and definite. Only when the brush was set down did Kazuki glance up again. "Did I do the right thing?"

The _kannushi_ raised an eyebrow. "Only you know the answer to that."

"I want to serve Inari." Kazuki lifted his chin, challenging the _kannushi_ to disbelieve him.

"And yet there is doubt within you." Thoughtful, the _kannushi_ narrowed his eyes for a moment. "Fear, too—but not for yourself. For the fox consort. You believe you caused him pain."

"I had to." Kazuki took a deep breath, finally facing the fear he'd carried for five long months, from the very first time he'd woken the fox spirit inside him. "It wasn't just the cat demon causing harm to Nico. It was also me."

The _kannushi_ looked slightly startled. "Indeed."

"Yes." Kazuki fiddled with the vermilion ribbons threaded through the sleeves of his hunting costume. "It's the fox. She—she's draining Nico. _I'm_ draining him. Every time we sleep together, I take more of his life force. I know what happens to humans when they love foxes. In a short time they become withered husks, their life force spent. If they're lucky, they die. If not, they linger on for the full span of their years as little more than a shell."

He lifted his gaze to the _kannushi_. "I cannot allow that to happen to Nico. Even if it means hurting him, I have to save him from the fox. From myself."

"Ah." The _kannushi_ 's sombre expression lit with a smile. "Your concern for fox consort is admirable, but unnecessary. You cannot drain him, no matter how many times you take him to your bed."

Kazuki blinked. "What?"

"As I say. You cannot hurt him."

"But..." Kazuki waved his hands helplessly as he struggled to understand what the _kannushi_ was telling him. "The stories. The fox tales. The family legends."

"They are all true." The _kannushi_ adjusted the collar of Kazuki's hunting costume and brushed a speck of dust from the brilliant white silk. "A fox will eventually kill its lover by draining him or her of their life force—but you are not a fox."

"I have a fox spirit living inside me!"

"Yes—but you are still human." The _kannushi_ set his hands on Kazuki's shoulders and gave him a gentle look. "Fox ancestress is several centuries old. Foxes of that age do not require human life force. While she finds the taste of fox consort very appealing, neither of you need to feed her. Her power comes from the moon and from prayer. Fox consort's offerings please her greatly, but she would never drain him of his energy. Through her, you saved fox consort's life. Through her, you made a promise to him. A fox's promise can never be broken. Do you understand?"

Kazuki felt numb. "I can't hurt him."

"Not ever."

"But I did hurt him. I told him..." Pain splintered through him, and Kazuki caught his breath. "I ended things between us. And now you tell me I hurt him for nothing."

The _kannushi_ touched the tips of his fingers to Kazuki's face, his expression exquisitely kind. "It was not for nothing. You learned something from your sacrifice."

Kazuki crumpled, his heart breaking. "It's a lesson I didn't want."

"Nevertheless." The _kannushi_ stepped back and held out a hand. "Come. The Mid-Autumn Festival is a perfect night for foxes. The yin energy of the full moon restores us. You will feel better outside."

Kazuki sighed and gathered his strength, wishing he could believe the _kannushi's_ words. He brushed his hands through his hair and gave his reflection a final glance before he followed the _kannushi_ out into the sacred ground of the shrine.

His family and a crowd of people from the town and villages gave way to him, their chatter of conversation fading to a murmur of respect. Sticking close to the _kannushi_ , Kazuki walked with measured steps from the Hall of Offerings to the pool and then up the slope of the hillside to the moon-viewing pavilion.

Built on the side of the hill in a natural clearing, the pavilion had an oval pool set in front to catch the reflection of the moon. The whole structure was painted white so the moonlight glimmered from its narrow columns and elegant arches. Inside, braziers gave off both heat and fragrant scent. A small altar had been set up, and Kazuki followed the _kannushi_ towards it.

They both knelt, the _kannushi_ murmuring a prayer to Inari and asking for the deity's blessing on the people gathered within the shrine. Then he nodded to Kazuki, who shuffled over to the offerings brought by the worshippers and selected rice and _sake_. Taking the items back to the altar, he laid them in full view of the moon and stumbled over the words of the offertory prayer.

The brief ritual concluded, the _kannushi_ welcomed everyone and the festivities began. The crowd split into groups or couples, and people strolled around the pavilion, admiring the moon and its reflection, quoting ancient poems written for the occasion or making up new ones. The talk and laughter grew louder as jugs of _sake_ were passed around, and several more braziers were brought out so people could sit in comfort and enjoy the evening.

Kazuki slipped away from the pavilion and the warmth of the braziers. Standing alone at the edge of the forest, he looked at his family, his people, and felt emotion strangle him. For the first time in his life, he felt like an outsider. Not even when he'd gone to live in England had he experienced such a sense of isolation. While he knew that his job as an F1 driver set him apart from his family and friends, it never seemed like that much of a big deal. Becoming a god-master, however, would remove him from society in a different way and would change his life forever.

The thought of it turned him cold with loneliness and misery.

Behind him, a twig cracked. Kazuki turned, expecting to see the _kannushi_ , but instead he saw Nico, his blond hair silvery in the moonlight and his eyes shadowed.

"Hey." Nico dug his hands into his jacket pockets, the only outward sign of his nervousness. He ventured a smile. "The night's too beautiful for you to be on your own."

Kazuki thought he must be dreaming. Confused, he glanced towards the pavilion and saw Daisuke giving him the thumbs up and a wide grin. The rest of his family were also watching, though they pretended to look away as soon as they realised he was staring at them.

Forcing his attention back to Nico, Kazuki fought the bewilderment clouding his mind and blurted out, "What are you doing here? You should be in Suzuka!"

"So should you," Nico said with perfect calm.

Kazuki shook his head. "My place is here."

"Then so is mine." Nico stepped forward, a determined glint in his eyes. "After all, I am still the fox consort."

"Nico—" Kazuki held up his hands, trembling with reaction.

Nico moved closer, lowering his voice to a soft whisper. "Your brother came to me at the hotel and explained it all. He told me why you were afraid; what your family had been warning you about these past few months. The old family tales—all those stories about foxes draining their lovers..."

Kazuki turned away. "I thought it was true."

"It's not." Nico reached out. "You saved my life. You put me back together again. You could never hurt me. How could you? You've told me often enough that it's your duty to protect me from harm."

"Including protecting you from myself!" Kazuki faced him. "I feared I was draining you in order to feed the fox. When your luck changed, at first I blamed myself. I was terrified it was because I'd robbed you of your energy..."

"It was the cat demon."

"Yes. But you seemed so tired and weary—"

Nico smiled. "It's the end of the season. I was the same last year."

Dropping his gaze, Kazuki said, "I didn't want to lose you."

"Why would you even think that?" Nico put a finger beneath Kazuki's chin and made him lift his head. For a moment, their gazes met.

Kazuki pulled away. "Because ours has never been an equal relationship." His voice splintered, but he forced himself to continue. "The power of my ancestor has tilted the balance. You are generous enough to feed her, but..."

"It's been equal from the beginning, but you never saw it," Nico interrupted, his expression gentle. "Yes, it took your fox ancestor to bring us together, but that's what I wanted anyway. Don't be so stubborn, Kaz. I want you. I love you."

Kazuki blinked. "You do?"

Nico laughed as he drew closer, taking Kazuki's hand and placing it over his heart. "Yes. Remember how you showed me the cat demon's shadow and made me believe? Now you have to believe—in me, in you, in us. You don't have to give up anything unless you want to."

"I don't?" Kazuki felt the steady thump of Nico's heartbeat beneath his palm and glanced around, feeling uncertain and afraid for a tight, anxious moment. A glimmer of white amongst the trees caught his attention, and he focused his gaze on the _kannushi_. The moonlight caught in his frost-touched hair and shone in his golden eyes, and then the _kannushi_ smiled and nodded before he vanished into the shadows of the forest.

Kazuki took a deep breath of realisation and wonder, then turned back to Nico, hope unfolding within him. "I can keep my dreams."

"You can keep me." Nico took the final step closer and hugged Kazuki, wrapping his arms tight around him. "It's not that easy to get rid of me," he murmured against Kazuki's neck. "Exorcise my demons, sure—but don't you dare exorcise me."

Pulling back, Nico kissed him. Kazuki responded, brushing his hands through Nico's hair to keep him in the embrace. Long and slow they kissed, an apology and acceptance and understanding given and received in passion.

Over by the pavilion, Grandfather chuckled and made an over-loud comment to First Aunt that carried across the clearing.

Nico broke the kiss but didn't move away. Leaning his forehead against Kazuki's, he grinned. "So what did gramps say this time?"

Kazuki smiled, warm with relief, and nuzzled closer. "He said if we wanted to make those pretty fox-babies, tonight would be a good time to try."


End file.
